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April 24, 2013RCS St. Louis: Five things we learned
MORE: Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour O'FALLON, Ill. -- The St. Louis area marked the 12th stop of the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour. West recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy takes a look back at the five things he learned on Sunday.
1. Undiscovered talent When you live in rural Illinois, stirring up recruiting buzz isn't the easiest thing to do. Winning the offensive line MVP at the Rivals Camp Series will do the trick, though. Highland (Ill.) High School guard Tanner Farmer did just that in St. Louis and picked up his first offer (Western Michigan) the next day. It feels as though that's only the start for the 300-pound, multi-time state wrestling champion. Farmer impressed from the start in St. Louis, where he didn't lose a single rep despite going up against some highly regarded defensive linemen. his performance was nothing short of dominant, and everyone in attendance took notice. Farmer has the size, technique and the strength to be a 10-plus-offer prospect but was the victim of location. He used the weekend to prove that, even in 2013, top talent can slip through the cracks for a time. 2. Monte Harrison measures up Three-star wide receiver Monte Harrison was part of a group that included Allen Lazard, the top-ranked wideout in the country. And while Lazard was impressive and in the running for top honors all afternoon, it was Harrison who walked away with the offensive skill MVP trophy. Lazard is probably worthy of his top billing, but Harrison showed himself to be grossly undervalued. He isn't as physically imposing as America's top receiver, but he looked every bit as gifted during one-on-ones. Harrison was surprisingly fast and was particularly lethal on deep passes, which allowed him to create gaping separation downfield. Meanwhile, Lazard was steady and made his living on intermediate routes, mostly to the middle of the field, which defensive backs had no chance of defending. 3. No shortage of young backs Some of the event's best running backs have yet to take a single snap as high school juniors. The crop of underclassmen tailbacks was highlighted by hyper-imposing East St. Louis, Ill., sophomore Natereace Strong, who was possibly the most impressive-looking prospect of any age in the group. The most familiar young gun on display was Calvin Strong (no relation) who racked up more than 1,800 yards rushing a season ago. Kentrail Moran and Ryan Williams were also impressive despite competing against older, more seasoned players. As a whole, the troop was well put-together and looked as college-ready as most 2014 players in attendance. Sunday proved that there's a solid chance the Midwest will be well represented in the Rivals100 at the running back spot for years to come. 4. Hendrix has Rivals100 potential O'Fallon, Ill., defensive end Dewayne Hendrix came to St. Louis as a four-star prospect and the No. 231 player in his class. Even so, his performance somehow left people thinking he might be underrated. Hendrix blew away offensive linemen in one-on-one drills and took the guesswork out of the battle for defensive line MVP. He has the size and strength to play on the college level as is, and his technique is polished as well. If ever there was a candidate for a significant bump in the rankings, it's Hendrix. 5. The future of Midwestern D-linemen lives in Illinois
The biggest threat to Hendrix's MVP campaign was sophomore defensive end Terry Beckner Jr., who nearly matched Hendrix rep for rep all afternoon. The most impressive part of Beckner's day was his back-to-back solid wins over four-star 2014 prospect D.J. Foster. Becker is by no means a one-camp wonder, though. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he has the size and speed needed to develop into an elite-level prospect. The fact that his technique is developed beyond his years is a plus as well.
Becker was more violent and aggressive than even Hendrix, but couldn't watch the older prospect when it came time to make a second move or showcase football instincts, which will develop over time. There's no telling how many offers Beckner will claim at this time next year, but the number figures to be higher than 20. Talk about it in The Crimson Corner
Oklahoma Sooners 2014 Sugar Bowl Champions Youth Locker Room T-Shirt - Anthracite
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Wolverines cleared Levenberry's concerns
TheWolverine.comMichigan has offered just a few linebackers in the 2013 class, and Woodbridge (Va.) C.D. Hylton product E.J. Levenberry was among the first. Shortly after the offer came through, however, the 6-3, 226-pound product's father was almost ready to write off Michigan.Michigan's coaching staff has shown that they are serious about landing Levenberry. They're not alone in that regard, and the youngster already holds Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech offers, among many others. The Wolverines' renewed effort earned them an unofficial visit over the weekend (the Levenberrys also stopped at Ohio State on the weekend tour), and they're back in the mix for Levenberry.Michigan's 2012 recruiting class is heavily focused in the Midwest. 17 of Michigan's 24 commitments in the senior class hail from Ohio and Michigan, and both junior commitments come from those states as well. Initially, the Levenberrys were concerned that Brady Hoke's coaching staff concerned itself too much with the Midwest, and would give preferential treatment to players from the region. However, a talk with Michigan's coaches over the weekend alleviated those concerns.The visit to Ann Arbor went so well, in fact, that Michigan is back in serious contention for Levenberry. Ohio State also made a jump on his list, and both schools make an appearance his top eight list of favorites.Signing Day 2013 is more than a year off, but Michigan has improved their standing with the talented linebacker. Time will tell if the Wolverines' renewed effort will pay off in an official visit - and ultimately a commitment. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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Allen will walk on in Ann Arbor
TheWolverine.comFenton (Mich.) punter Kenny Allen grew up a fan of Michigan. It was that love for the Wolverines that inspired him to chose to walk on in Ann Arbor instead of accepting a scholarship offer from another school."I grew up a Michigan fan my whole life," Allen said. "I think just growing up a Michigan fan and being close enough to home was what made be choose the preferred walk on. I wanted to be part of Michigan's tradition."It was no easy choice to accept a non-scholarship role from Michigan's coaching staff. Other BCS-level schools have told Allen they may be able to offer him a scholarship. PAC-12 member Oregon State was the first to take the plunge, offering Allen earlier this summer. However, he's willing to work to earn scholarship money as a member of the team he grew up cheering for."Since they have a lot of scholarship special teams players [currently on the roster], they offered a preferred walk on," he said. "I'm just probably going to redshirt and battle for a scholarship the next year."According to Allen's punting coach, Chris Sailer, the Wolverines have landed an exceptional prospect, and one who is deserving of scholarship attention. He ranks Allen as the ninth-best senior punter in the nation."When he hits a good ball, it's already at the D-1 level," Sailer said. "He's getting great height and great distance, and punting for great net."If there's one area that Allen needs to improve before he's ready to contribute at the college level, it's in his consistency, according to Sailer. However, that's no surprise for a high school senior."If there's a weakness, it would be in his consistency," he said. "It's rare to find a high school senior that's already consistent."Allen admits that he has room for growth once he hits the college level. With Michigan's coaching, he expects to have a chance to be a major contributor for the Wolverines. According to Sailer, Michigan's special teams coach, Dan Ferrigno, will have a good starting point when Allen enters the program."They're getting a gift, really," he said. "He's getting a lot of scholarship interest and would have gotten a lot more if he had not already committed to Michigan." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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« Cultural Thinking
Ideology Shaping Situation, or Vice Versa? »
Cheating Doesn’t Pay . . . So Why So Much of it?
Posted by Goutam Jois on September 13, 2007
Wait a minute — it’s not supposed to be like this. Why would Bill Belichick condone his coaching staff videotaping his opponents’ signals? Doing so is, of course, against the rules. Why would the coach, who some call “the only certifiable genius in the [NFL] coaching ranks,” go so far as to “insanely risk his reputation on the long shot that a small advantage might provide just one more victory he probably would have gotten anyway”?
By now, of course, the NFL world is abuzz with the fine and penalty levied against the New England Patriots. The blogosphere has similarly run with the story (see here, here, here, and here). The Patriots — winners of three of the last six Super Bowls — were secretly filming the Jets defensive coordinator when he called in plays. As a result, they knew the defense’s plays and were able to call their own plays accordingly. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell fined Bill Belichick personally $500,000; fined the team $250,000; and ordered the team to forfeit one or two draft picks (depending on whether the team makes the playoff this season). Perhaps worst of all, Belichick’s reputation is now sullied. What kind of “certifiable genius” has to cheat to win? Some Philadelphia Eagles players even suspect that the Pats’ dramatic second-half turnaround in Super Bowl XXXIX was perhaps a product of signal-stealing.
As is often the case, we are unable to make sense of people’s behavior because we assume that they are rational (dispositionist) actors. In other words, we assume that people’s behavior reflects deep-seated, stable personality traits, and that they make decisions by dispassionately weighing the risks and the benefits. It was perhaps in this vein that one writer said that “this charge fits perfectly with everything we know about [Belichick,] on and off the field.” And if he was weighing the potential loss and potential gain, it seems like this was a no-brainer. The benefits of cheating were miniscule: first of all, the Patriots probably would have won anyway, so the marginal benefit of cheating were minimal. Second, even if they lost, the Patriots were still highly favored to, at a minimum, win the AFC; they were ranked #1 in many preseason rankings and favored to win the Super Bowl (with one website giving 2-to-1 odds). Thus, it is highly unlikely that the Pats would have lost on Sunday, and even less likely that a loss on Sunday would have made a difference in the postseason. Indeed, one can understand why Belichick, or anyone for that matter, might cheat in the Super Bowl or another playoff game, where fame, fortune, and legacy are on the line. But in the first game of the season?
Perhaps part of the explanation is situational. In an environment where competitive pressures and expectations are very high, incentives to push the envelope, cut corners and, yes, cheat outright are quite strong. Bad choices, to be sure. But powerful situations too. Consider the recent debacles in corporate America. Surely, none of the now-disgraced executives set out years ago on a quest to defraud shareholders. Instead, they faced pressures to meet analysts estimates quarter after quarter. When a division or department reported figures that didn’t quite seem right, they looked the other way. When accountants concocted unusual transactions and entities to hide debt and inflate revenues, they assumed “everyone was doing it.” (To read Sung Hui Kim’s related posts on why lawyers acquiesce in their client’s misconduct, click here and here.)
So, too, in football. Perhaps the surprising thing is not that Belichick was cheating; it’s that he got caught for doing it so obviously. And the pressure in this case comes not from investment bankers or shareholders but from sportswriters and fans. Sure, the cheating may not have made a difference in this game — but Belichick was looking for an edge in the next game and the next, and perhaps a playoffs rematch with the Jets. Indeed, Belichick implied as much in his “statement,” saying that the Pats “have never used sideline video to obtain a competitive advantage while the game was in progress.” Of course, as a commentator pointed out on CNN this morning, if it didn’t make a difference, they wouldn’t have done it. The risks may have been sky-high, and the benefits marginal, but in the minds of Belichick and the pats, every little bit could be the difference maker in their quest for a fourth Super Bowl ring.
In a relatively situationist account of the Belichick fiasco, Dan Weztel wrote for Yahoo! Sports that the problem had to do with the “culture” of the NFL. He aptly titled his article, “Products of the System,” and posed the question of whether Belichick was a problem for the NFL or if he was the NFL — “a byproduct of a business where a coach that doesn’t seek every last advantage is doomed to fail.” As Situationist contributor Phil Zimbardo might put it: Is the problem just with the apple or does the barrel itself play some role?
Various Situationist contributors have written about the effects that situational pressures can have in corporate law (e.g., Kate Hill’s “When Thieves See Situation“) and in sports (e.g., Jon Hanson and Michael McCann’s “What’s Eating David Ortiz?“). The Belichick scandal illustrates one of the commonalities between the two: that in a highly competitive environment, the situational pressures to cheat are very high. Belichick got caught, but he was not the first, and he surely will not be the last — not because these coaches are particularly evil-minded, but because the competitive nature of their jobs make it difficult for them not to. Steroids in baseball, doping in cycling, the list goes on.
Given the power of situation to compel choices, eliminating the possibility of certain choices may prove advantageous. The NFL could, for instance, provide for additional security in games to monitor for potential cheating, assess “unsportsmanlike conduct” penalties if it came to light during the game, and in extreme situations, require teams to forfeit tainted games. After-all, it appears that the NFL only responded to the Patriots’ videotaping upon being notified by other teams’ personnel. If the issue were so crucial to the NFL, as the league now alleges, why did the league allow for a situation in which it may exist until detected by opposing teams?
Belichick needs to be punished, no doubt. And a stiff punishment and public outrcry will influence the situation of all coaches who contemplate such options. Still, if we care about honesty and integrity, in sports as in business, we would do better than to rely on “the better angels of our nature.” Instead, we should be sensitive to shaping our institutions and our laws with a view to changing the incentives that our coaches, players, and CEOs face. Even without laws and rules that condone advantage-seeking, there are plenty of incentives, for corporations and for sports teams, to be and to remain highly competitive. A more accurate understanding of human nature just might change some of the incentives to cheat.
In that vein, and in an effort to foster some collective, constructive situationism, we encourage readers to comment with suggestions about what else might be done — in terms of rules, league arrangements, or otherwise — to influence the situation in ways that would discourage cheating of this sort.
This entry was posted on September 13, 2007 at 11:29 pm and is filed under Choice Myth, Situationist Sports.
5 Responses to “Cheating Doesn’t Pay . . . So Why So Much of it?”
Ari said
September 14, 2007 at 12:40 pm Location, Location, Location
It is amazing how poor readers still like to write. If you were to educate yourself, you’d know that the NFL permits video taping (filming, polaroids, use of binoculars) by the teams to glean information about each other. Read all about it, it’s in the rule book. There are restrictions as to where you can be when you do the recording, and a Patriots employee was in a non-authorized location on Sunday. That’s the entire issue here: an employee’s location. Every team studies every other team every week. Did you really not know this?
qwerty said
September 14, 2007 at 4:00 pm Cheating does pay or people would not do it.
Goutam Jois said
September 14, 2007 at 10:53 pm Ari,
Thanks for the comment. First, “[P]olaroids and binoculars” do not constitute video taping. Second, video taping by the teams, in the manner that the Patriots did, is not permitted. On September 6, 2006, Ray Anderson, a vice president for the NFL, sent all teams a memorandum that specified:
“Video taping of any type, including but not limited to taping of an opponent’s offensive or defensive signals, is prohibited on the sidelines, in the coaches’ booth, in the locker room, or at any other locations accessible to club staff members during the game”
The NFL’s Game Operations Manual similarly provides that “no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches’ booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game.”
Of course teams are allowed to record games, but the manual also states that “all video shooting locations must be enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead.” The “employee’s location,” as you put it, is relevant precisely to forestall cheating: if, from his location, the employee could videotape hand signals, those signals could be matched against the overhead recording of the game to determine which signals correspond to which plays. A more elaborate version of my abbreviated response is available from the http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/09/13/a_sorry_state/ .
In any event, the point of the post was not to engage in a technical dispute about the interpretation of the rules (although this was Coach Belichick’s initial response). Instead, it is to pose the more fundamental question of how and why highly-competitive environments lead to behavior that most, if not all, agree is undesirable. After all, even if the issue were just “an employee’s location” (which I don’t believe it is), the fact remains that the team circumvented the rules for competitive advantage. Why would one with so much to lose do that?
September 15, 2007 at 7:32 pm How much you stand to lose if you get caught doesn’t matter as long as you believe you’re not going to get caught.
A Situationist Account of the NFL, Bill Belichick, and Videotapes - Gorkemgozleme Sports | World's Sport News said
August 26, 2011 at 9:55 pm [...] on The Situationist, Goutam Jois takes a different approach and examines the role played by the NFL in creating a situation in which wrongdoing could occur. Here is an excerpt from his piece: Perhaps part of the explanation [...]
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Out of hours press enquiries, call 07918 083 774.
Race Horse Deathwatch
Upcoming EventsFind local fayres and protests in your area
Media Centre >
Aintree 2009 Claims its Fourth Victim
Posted 3 April 2009
Two more horses were killed today (Friday, 3 April) at Aintree racecourse – the second day of the 2009 Grand National meeting. This follows two fatalities on Thursday. Moscow Catch died today after a heavy fall that appeared to break his neck, while running in the 3 mile Sefton Novices’ Hurdle race. He was just six-years-old and had raced only five times previously. Lilla Sophia, who was four-years-old and had raced only three times before, was destroyed after breaking a leg while racing in the Mares’ National Hunt Flat race. There are also concerns for On Raglan Road, whose fall in the Sefton Hurdle was described by a BBC TV commentator as ‘really, really nasty’.
The first day of the Aintree meeting was equally catastrophic. One of the victims was the low-ranking Mel In Blue, who broke his neck at the notorious Becher’s brook fence. The other victim was Exotic Dancer, a highly rated ‘star’ performer. Just nine-years-old, he collapsed and died from an apparent heart attack after finishing second in the in the 3 mile Totesport Bowl Chase. Thirty-four horses have died at the three-day Aintree meeting during the last decade.
See our report from the first day at Aintree.
Race Horse Deathwatch: The Second Year
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8 Ice-Cold MLB Starts That Won't Last
By Benjamin Klein
J. Meric/Getty Images Jeremy Hellickson has struggled in his first two starts, but he'll turn it around soon.
Just because a player has yet to get hot doesn’t mean he’ll have a poor season. The 2013 Major League Baseball season is just over a week old, and it’s much too early to be making concrete conclusions for the remainder of the year. It is interesting, however, to make predictions on what will or won’t happen. On Monday, I examined the players who have started the year on fire but will cool by the time the season ends. Now, it’s time to analyze the players who have been non-factors since the 2013 season began but will figure it out relatively soon. Although there are sure to be several more who break out of their early-season slumps, here are eight players who are cold as ice now that I believe will rebound soon. All statistics in this article were obtained via FanGraphs. All injury information was obtained via Baseball Prospectus. All contract information was obtained via Cot’s Contracts. Begin Slideshow »
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Jeff Gross/Getty Images Mike Trout was inevitably going to suffer at least a slight drop in production in 2013 after a historic MVP-caliber rookie season in 2012.That said, Trout hitting .281 and producing just one RBI and zero stolen bases through seven games is a complete shock. The good news for Angels fans is this will not continue for much longer, and the young stud will be tearing up the base paths again in no time.There is simply too much talent in the Angels lineup, and within Trout himself, to continue at this frigid pace.
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports The Philadelphia Phillies are already having pitching problems, but while some players were expected to struggle to open the year, Cole Hamels wasn’t one of them. Hamels, arguably the ace of the staff, has fallen on his face to begin 2013. Through a pair of starts, Hamels is 0-2 with a 10.97 ERA after allowing 13 earned runs on 16 hits through 10.2 innings of work. He’s struck out seven batters while walking four, and it’s also worth noting that he’s served up four home runs thus far. His command has been extremely concerning considering he usually strikes out a bunch of batters and isn’t one to walk many. But this season, Hamels is averaging 5.91 K/9 and 4.22 BB/9, figures that are much different than his career averages of 8.52 K/9 and 2.26 BB/9. It’s only been two starts, though, which isn’t enough to begin panicking. What Hamels needs is a start against a poor team to get his confidence back up.
Josh Hamilton, Los Angeles Angels
Brandon Wade/Getty Images When the Los Angeles Angels doled out $125 million to Josh Hamilton this offseason, they were expecting to create the most lethal heart of the order in baseball.Teaming Mike Trout and Albert Pujols with Hamilton has not quite worked out early on, however, as he is hitting just .138 with no home runs, three RBI, 11 strikeouts and has an anemic .172 slugging percentage over his first 34 plate appearances.While it is not out of the question that Hamilton will struggle a bit in his first year with the Angels (somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 home runs and an .825-.850 OPS), there is no chance that he will remain in such an ice cold slump all season long.Barring injury, Hamilton will undoubtedly witness a market correction on his stat line sooner rather than later.
Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
USA TODAY Sports Anthony Rizzo is one of the more promising young players in the game, and it seems that he’s finally getting a hold of what it’s like to hit in the big leagues. Last season, he hit .285/.342/.463 with 15 home runs and 48 RBI in 87 games. Expected to play the entire year for the first time ever, it’s a little difficult to project how Rizzo will fare. Through the first eight games of the season, he hasn’t looked good at the plate whatsoever. In 27 at-bats, he’s hitting .185/.313/.444 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI. He’s striking out 21.9 percent of the time and walking 12.5 percent. While Rizzo hasn’t been hitting up to par lately, the upside is that he has been walking. He’s been smart at the plate, taking pitches outside the zone and making the pitcher work. All he needs to do is focus on making solid contact more often. If he’s seeing the ball well, which it appears he is, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Matt Harrison, Texas Rangers
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports All things aside, it’s never good to be a pitcher who takes a loss against the Houston Astros. Unfortunately for Matt Harrison, he’s one of two pitchers to do so this year, losing on Opening Night on the road. In that start, Harrison gave up five earned runs (six total) on six hits through 5.2 innings of work. He did strike out nine batters, but that’s not very surprising since Houston has the highest strikeout rate in baseball at 31.5 percent. In his most recent start against the Los Angeles Angels, Harrison wasn’t much better. Against L.A., Harrison allowed another five runners to cross the plate, serving up five hits through five innings. Judging a pitcher based on 10.2 innings is a little harsh, especially for a starter, but command has really been an issue for him. He needs to work on hitting his spots or else he’s going to get hit hard all season long. UPDATE: Wednesday, April 10 at 3:25 p.m. ETTodd Willis of ESPNDallas.com has reported that Harrison is heading to the 15-day disabled list due to a lower back injury.It's possible that two weeks of rest is just what Harrison needs to get back on track. ---End of Update---
Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports If we knew one thing coming into the 2013 season, it was that the Miami Marlins were not going to be playing good baseball. But what we didn’t know, or really expect, was that Giancarlo Stanton would get off to a terrible offensive start. Through eight games, Stanton is hitting .154/.353/.231 without a home run or an RBI. That’s probably one of the craziest batting lines you’re going to find. It looks that way because he hasn’t hit with much consistency and hasn’t hit for any power, but he’s gotten on base frequently. This is mainly because he has no protection behind him, so pitchers are just walking him. He has the fourth-highest walk rate at 23.5 percent. Here’s one good reason why it’s too early to worry about Stanton’s power: He started last year the same way. In 2012, Stanton didn’t hit his first home run until April 29 and still finished the year with 37 long balls. If he did it last year, there’s no reason why he couldn’t do it again this year.
B.J. Upton, Atlanta Braves
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Over the winter, the Atlanta Braves landed two of the best outfielders in baseball. Oh, and they just so happen to be brothers. But while Justin Upton has gotten off to a great start with his new team, his brother, B.J., has been a disaster at the plate. Through eight games and 29 at-bats, B.J. has just three hits. He’s hitting at a .103/.212/.207 clip and really isn’t doing much of anything offensively. He’s walked just 9.1 percent of the time he comes up to bat and has struck out 36.4 percent, which is one of the highest in the league and, coincidentally, identical to his brother’s rate. This B.J. Upton isn't the player the Braves thought they were getting when they signed him in the offseason, but there’s still plenty of time for him to rebound. He’s never been one to hit with much consistency, but it’s hard to imagine he won't at least crack .225 by season’s end. His home run total has increased in each of the last four seasons, so there’s also reason to believe his power will soon return.
Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports One of the reasons the Tampa Bay Rays felt good about trading away some pitching over the offseason was because of the young talent still in the rotation, including Jeremy Hellickson. But through a pair of starts, the Rays may already be concerned they made the wrong moves. Hellickson allowed five earned runs in 6.1 innings of work against the Baltimore Orioles, striking out two and walking one. Five days later, he allowed three earned runs in five innings while striking out just one and walking three. Overall, he has a 6.35 ERA through 11.1 innings. This isn’t the Hellickson the Rays know, though. Although he’s only won a combined 23 games the last two seasons, he’s been a good pitcher for them. This year, he’s barely striking anyone out and is having trouble with his command. Hellickson has pitched against two of the better teams in the AL, so maybe it’s just that he needs to face a struggling opponent to get back on track.
Bench-Clearing Brawl in MIL vs. PIT
from m.MLB.com
MLB Should Embrace Next Sosa-McGwire
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Trail Blazers vs Pacers Wednesday, 01/23/13 AT 07:00PM
Powered by Meyers Leonard Returns To The Court With A Fresh Perspective
erikgundersen
/ avg. rating: 5.0
BY ERIK GUNDERSEN
On December 29th, Meyers Leonard was helped off the court by his teammates after suffering an ugly and scary ankle injury. An x-ray that night revealed that the ankle wasn't broken, a relief to most. On January 21st, Leonard returned to the Rose Garden court for the first time since the replay of his injury created an audible gasp from the Rip City faithful. On Monday, his play was more of a breath of fresh air and his assertiveness and rhythm was a welcome sight for Coach Stotts. Leonard scored six points on three shots including a smooth jump hook and long-two.
"Like I said last night, he had a very good outing for not playing for three weeks and only two practices under his belt. His jump shot and his hook were probably the two most natural offensive moves he's had all season," Stotts said of Leonard's performance against the Wizards. Leonard says that the aggression came from a good pre-game workout with teammate Joel Freeland and figuring out spots on the court where he can "make things happen." "Watching film with Kim (Hughes) and some of the other coaches, just figure out places on the court where I can really catch and finish, make things happen," Leonard said. "So yeah, I got a quick duck-in, finished the hook and then a had a nice little jumper. I was happy with that. Just got to keep being consistent and find gaps in the defense."
After the game, Stotts admitted that he looked better than he had expected he would. Leonard had a lot of time on his hands and couldn't get on the basketball court. Stotts said that Leonard's conditioning is still not where it needs to be. Leonard believes he is close to getting back to his peak conditioning level. "I would say probably 85 percent," Leonard said about how close he is to being where he needs to be conditioning wise. "I still don't have all my explosion, my quickness and conditioning isn't completely there. It'll get there in the next few days."
Leonard's conditioning is a work in progress, as is his comfort level coming back from the ankle injury and he admits that there were times where he's been more conscious about his ankle. "There was a little hesitation. I caught myself trying to land 1-2, left-right instead of landing on both or landing on my right. Just because you know, I guess it's natural, probably a mental thing. Naturally I think I'll grow back into playing more consistent on two feet. Just really trying to figure out what I can do until I'm full."
Leonard was happy to get back on the court after his nearly-month-long absence. Interestingly enough, he believes that the time away from the court helped him comeback to the court with a fresh perspective. "When I talked to Kim about it, he was just like, 'most guys get a chance to have a break in the All-Star weekend.' Keep your mind fresh, think about what you did in the first half of the season, what you can do in the second half of the season and how you can get better," he said. " I think it definitely kind of gave me a chance to kind of sit back and look on the games I had played. Obviously, I'll still have the All-Star break as well. I think it helped me a little bit, obviously I would have loved to have been playing. But to take a moment to step back and really look at the game in the mental aspect as compared to the physical and mental. So, it was good for me."
The time away from the game is helpful to some and detrimental to others. However, for a focused worker like Leonard, it seems that being able to put all of his energy into the mental aspect is helping him even as he still recovers physically. Rate This
This photo: L-Train Unleashes On Indy /
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Mock re-draft
Can Trump save the Bills?
Clowney shouldn't be downgraded
Should the Giants replace Eli?
Will Robert Griffin III go down as a draft bust?
Posted by Shane Clemons on Nov 23, 2013 20:38
A year ago, it would have been inconceivable to even put Robert Griffin III’s name in the same sentence as the word “bust,” but the NFL landscape changes quickly, and for the Washington Redskins, that change hasn’t gone in their favor.
A season ago, Griffin on the fast-track to becoming the next big star. Unlike Andrew Luck, who has kept a low profile since entering the league, we’ve seen Griffin all over our televisions, both on highlight reels and in commercials.
Now, with the Redskins clinging to the smallest thread of hope for the rest of the season, it’s time to reevaluate what we’ve seen from Griffin over the past year. After sustaining a knee injury that sidelined him for the entire offseason, Robert Griffin worked his way back into shape, and was supposedly ready to play when he first took the field for the Redskins in 2013.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. In the opening weeks of the season, it was easy to pass off Griffin’s poor performances as simply a byproduct of being off the field for so long. We thought that he would find his way back to his former level of play in due time.
Boy were we wrong.
As is sometimes the case in the NFL, a star is sometimes born only to disappear an instant later. Where Griffin excelled a season ago, he now struggles to be competent, so much so that there has been legitimate banter among analysts, considering whether he should be benched or not.
Last year, Griffin was completing over 65% of his passes. This year, he’s completing a hair under 60%. Sure, it’s not a terrible percentage, but it’s a long way from where he once was.
Even worse, Griffin, who was extremely efficient as a rookie, is now throwing nearly as many interceptions as he is touchdowns. In his rookie season, Griffin threw an interception for every four touchdown tosses. Now, he’s throwing just under one and a half touchdowns per interception.
There’s no question Griffin’s knee injury has had an impact on his play this season. He’s nowhere near as effective scrambling this season as he was last season, and that lack of explosive running potential may actually be harming his ability to throw the ball. Unlike pocket passers, scrambling quarterbacks often rely on their ability to make plays on the ground to help open up passing lanes. With less production from his legs, it’s perfectly reasonable to believe that Griffin’s passing game is suffering as a result.
As the NFL moves more towards running quarterbacks, it’s important to remember why there was ever an emphasis on pocket passers in the first place. It’s a lot easier for a quarterback to stay healthy when he’s not taking hits very often, and Robert Griffin III’s rookie season is one fine example of why scrambling quarterbacks aren’t a safe bet in the NFL.
There’s no doubt that Griffin was on track to become a star of the NFL, but one injury and some poor decisions later, Griffin’s play has opened the door to a quarterback controversy in Washington. Right now, the question isn’t whether or not Griffin will be a superstar. The question has now become, will Robert Griffin be remembered as a draft bust?
About Shane Clemons
Shane Clemons came from humble beginnings creating his own Jaguars blog before moving on to SBNation as a featured writer for the Jaguars. He then moved to Bloguin where he briefly covered the AFC South before taking over Bloguin's Jaguars blog. Since the inception of This Given Sunday, Shane has served as an editor for the site, doing his best not to mess up a good thing. View all posts by Shane Clemons → | Twitter The best defensive plays for the week ending April 16th
www.Bloguin.com/thisgivensunday is a National Football League fan web site and is in no way affiliated with the National Football League or its Properties or Organizations. This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. www.Bloguin.com/thisgivensunday is not an official web site for the National Football League.
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LAS VEGAS — While Floyd Mayweather Jr. sat in a jail cell, rapper 50 Cent set about signing fighters and putting together the promotional company he and Mayweather had long talked about.
It seemed like a perfect match for two buddies who liked nothing better than to have HBO cameras film them playing with stacks of $100 bills in the “24/7” series. But it fell apart when Mayweather got out of prison and decided that he would rather play with his money than invest it in a boxing company.
The requisite Twitter fight ensued, with all the nastiness that comes with any breakup. But that doesn’t mean 50 Cent isn’t interested in making a real splash in boxing by promoting his former BFF in a fight against, say, Manny Pacquiao.
“I could see myself with the money,” the rapper said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And if you’ve got the money you can make the fight.”
That fight could involve more money than any fight ever, with 50 Cent particularly interested in a reported $180 million offer that promoter Bob Arum has from Dubai. But Mayweather has been reluctant to even discuss the possibility of a Pacquiao fight, and 50 Cent thinks he knows why.
One loss, he said, and Mayweather would probably never fight again.
“It’s all confidence when it comes to Floyd and his confidence wouldn’t be there,” 50 Cent said. “He kind of hand picks who he fights instead of taking the tough fights.”
Boxing does make strange bedfellows, though there’s nothing strange about 50 Cent’s foray into the sport. He boxed as an amateur while growing up, and his friendship with Mayweather rekindled a love for the sport.
With Mayweather out, he used his own money to sign several fighters, the most notable being former Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa. He wants boxing to reclaim the young demographic that it has lost to the UFC, and has plans to mix entertainment with any fights that he promotes.
The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was approved last month for a promoter’s license in Nevada and is working with Arum’s Top Rank on Saturday’s fight card that is topped by the fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.
“We’re allies, we’re working together,” Arum said. “He’s really a nice guy. Or at least he seems to be.”
But 50 Cent has a learning curve ahead of him, as evidenced by a press conference he was part of Thursday to introduce the undercard that includes Gamboa. When 50 Cent finished a short speech he went to sit down, forgetting to introduce his fighter.
“I (messed) up,” he said, laughing.
50 Cent reportedly spent more than $1 million getting the rights to promote Gamboa, a big puncher who he believes will become a big star. The rap mogul likely didn’t have to go far for the money, because he made fortunes in both music and in a stake he had in Vitaminwater when it was bought in a 2007 deal by the Coca-Cola company for a reported $4.1 billion.
50 Cent said he wanted to go in the fight business with Mayweather — who made a reported $80 million in his last two fights — not only to make money but to make sure his friend had a continuing source of income after he’s done boxing.
Mayweather is famous for a large entourage, sports bets that start at six figures, and throwing money around like he and 50 Cent did in the “24/7” shows.
“He’s in the cycle that a lot of big fighters go through,” 50 Cent said. “Get the money, spend the money and then fight again for some more money.”
50 Cent would like to see his estranged friend do better.
“I still love him,” he said. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Source URL: http://bostonherald.com/sports/other/boxing/2012/12/50_cent_in_boxing_even_without_floyd_mayweather
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Pujols encouraged Edmonds' comeback
Scott Paulus/Brewers
By mid-January, Jim Edmonds had a pretty good idea that he wanted to make one last run at the Major Leagues after a full season away. Heck, he had just announced as much to a room full of Cardinals fans. Just to be sure, Edmonds called on an old teammate to hit the batting cages in suburban St. Louis. It was about Day 3 of their early-morning swing sessions before Edmonds asked Albert Pujols what he thought. “He said I was crazy not to try it,” Edmonds said. Three months later, Edmonds is back in the Major Leagues with the Brewers. He signed a Minor League deal in late January, won a roster spot in Spring Training and has emerged as much more than an extra outfielder. Edmonds has started five of the Brewers’ first seven games including two weekend starts against Pujols and the Cardinals. He was back in center field on Monday against another former employer, the Cubs. This isn’t exactly what Pujols had in mind when he encouraged his old teammate to launch a comeback. “I hate to see him playing against us in the division,” Pujols said. “He’s always going to be a Cardinal forever.” But Edmonds is a Brewer now, and he’s among the most veteran players in the game. In baseball, 39-year-old outfielders are rare, and only four position players older than Edmonds have appeared in the Majors so far this season: Forty-two-year-olds Omar Vizquel and Matt Stairs and 40-year-olds Brad Ausmus and Ken Griffey Jr. Edmonds will turn 40 on June 27. “That’s seasoned,” Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder said with a big smile. “To do what he’s doing, that’s a gift.” For more on Edmonds’ comeback with the Brewers and a look back at some of his defensive gems, check out my story on Brewers.com later today. *
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Mohamed and Starkey Honored in New York
LB Mike Mohamed
By Cal Media Relations
(NEW YORK CITY) – Former Cal linebacker Mike Mohamed and current radio play-by-play broadcaster Joe Starkey were honored at the National Football Foundation’s Annual Award Dinner on Tuesday evening in New York City...
Mike Mohamed was recognized as one of 16 members of the 2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and finalists vying for the prestigious 21st William V. Campbell Trophy that was won by Sam Acho of Texas. Starkey received the Chris Schenkel Award which recognizes a sports broadcaster who has enjoyed a long and distinguished career at a single institution.
The star-studded event featured a key note speech from American icon Bill Cosby, winner of the organization’s highest honor, the Gold Medal. Several other awards were presented and the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Class was inducted.
"I'd like to thank the National Football Foundation for having me here; this is wonderful,” said Mohamed. “The past four and a half years has been a true blessing in my life, not only to be able to attend a great academic institution but to also play football. Just to be part of such a great group of guys up here, it's awesome. I am thankful to have been able to come to New York and be part of this ceremony."
Each member of the National Scholar-Athlete Class will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Mohamed played in 50 games with 27 starts as a player in the Cal football program from 2006-10 and finished his career fourth on the school’s all-time tackles list with 340, while adding 20.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, seven interceptions (with two returned for a touchdown), nine pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. He earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2010 after leading Cal in tackles for the second straight year despite missing the only collegiate game of his career and having his playing time limited in two other contests due to injuries. Mohamed finished the 2010 campaign with 95 tackles for an average of 8.6 stops per game that was second among all Pac-10 players during the regular season. In 2009, he led the Pac-10 with 112 tackles and an average of 8.6 stops per contest to earn first-team All-Pac-10 recognition, adding 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, a team-high three interceptions, one forced fumble, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries.
In the classroom, Mohamed has a cumulative 3.43 grade point average and is on track to graduate from Cal this month with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He has been named to the Pac-10 All-Academic team four times, including first-team recognition in each of the last three years (2008-10). He also received District 8 All-Academic first-team honors from CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine in 2009.
Starkey recently finished his 36th season in the Golden Bears' radio booth in 2010. Arguably best known for his legendary call of "The Play" in 1982 – when the Cal football team famously returned a five-lateral kickoff return for a touchdown in between Stanford band members – Starkey has been named the Best Play-by-Play Announcer in the state of California nine times.
A graduate of Loyola University, after briefly playing football at Thornton Junior College, Starkey began his career as a television and radio broadcaster for the California Golden Seals in 1972. Three years later, he became a freelance announcer for Cal football games, a relationship that continues to this day. He joined KGO Radio as its sports director in 1979, leading the station to a No. 1 ranking in the market for 15 consecutive years. After stints with the Minnesota Vikings and the USFL's Oakland Invaders, Starkey became the play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco 49ers in 1989 and stayed on the job for 20 seasons until his retirement from the franchise in 2008. He was also a color analyst for San Francisco in 1987 and 1988.
The 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Class inducted Tuesday includes the late Dennis Byrd (North Carolina State) Ronnie Caveness (Arkansas); Ray Childress (Texas A&M); Randy Cross (UCLA); Sam Cunningham (Southern California); Mark Herrmann (Purdue); Clarkston Hines (Duke); Desmond Howard (Michigan); Chet Moeller (Navy); Jerry Stovall (LSU); the late Pat Tillman (Arizona State); Alfred Williams (Colorado); and coaches Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin) and Gene Stallings (Texas A&M, Alabama).
In addition to the award won by Cosby, several other major honors were presented at the dinner including the Distinguished American Award to renowned journalist and author Tom Brokaw. The late Joe Kearney, a longtime athletics administrator, was posthumously presented with the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award for his contributions to the game while former Rutgers Athletics Director Robert Mulcahy took home the John L. Toner Award for his superior administrative abilities as an athletics administrator. Rogers Redding, the recipient of the Outstanding Football Official Award, and Starkey rounded out the 2010 NFF Major Awards honorees. Former NCAA Executive Vice President Tom Jernstedt was recognized with an NFF Legacy Award for his support of the NFF and its mission. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships was awarded.
After playing the last 88 seasons and every home game at Memorial Stadium since the facility opened for the 1923 Big Game, Cal will host its 2011 home contests at San Francisco’s AT&T Park while Memorial Stadium undergoes an extensive renovation. The Bears will return to a renovated Memorial Stadium to play their 2012 home schedule.
Visit CalFootballSF.com for more information on 2011 Cal football at AT&T Park and stadium.berkeley.edu for more information on the Memorial Stadium renovation and retrofit.
It's Almost Impossible to Beat Cal at Home
-by BearTerritory.net Nov 15, 2010
So Much for Getting Their Feet Wet
Bears Look to Avoid Another Pistol Whip
-by BearTerritory.net Oct 5, 2010
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LB Mike Mohamed (profile)
Football > Brawley HS > Alumni
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That Monster Road Trip
Now that the Canucks last home game before the Olympics is done it’s time to look forward to those 45 days away from GM Place that includes a 14 game road trip interrupted by the Olympics for two weeks. The Canucks leave GM Place in the hands of VANOC and embark on a 14 game road trip which has a lot of fans worried because going into this road trip they currently own the second worst road record amongst any of the playoff teams in the East and West. That doesn’t paint an accurate picture though as the Canucks in their last 10 games away from home, after a terrible start on the road this year, are 6-3-1. The Canucks main concern isn’t even going to be the first half of the trip:
Jan. 30 at Toronto
Feb. 2 at Montreal
Feb. 4 at Ottawa
Feb. 6 at Boston
Feb. 9 at Tampa Bay
Feb. 11 at Florida
Feb. 12 at Columbus
Feb. 14 at Minnesota
The first half of the trip the Canucks do a swing through Eastern Canada and if there’s one thing the Canucks have been able to do it’s devour teams in the East. When you look at the East teams the Canucks are playing they have better goal tending, and the fact that they rarely see these teams gives them the advantage because the other team’s lack of familiarity should let the Sedins run rampant. The six of the first eight games on the road swing should be a breeze. Even if the Canucks go 6-2 through that stretch that’ll be a fantastic lead up to the two week Olympic break. The tough part is after the Olympic break. The Canucks six games after the Olympics looks like this: March 2 at Columbus
March 3 at Detroit
March 5 at Chicago
March 7 at Nashville
March 9 at Colorado
March 10 at Phoenix
In the first eight games of the road trip the Canucks play only one, maybe two playoff teams (depending on the standings fluctuation). In the back end of the road trip, post Olympics, they’re ploughing through some of the toughest teams in the West and taking on a list of Western Conference playoff teams. They’re also hitting four teams in the Central Divsion, a division they’ve improved against lately but one that has been unkind to them all season.
The other concern for the Canucks is going to be the Olympic hangover. This could work both for and against the Canucks. The Canucks are going to have 7 of their stars play throughout the two weeks and you have to imagine fatigue will kick in. The rest of the team should be nice and rested, but it’s a double edge sword if the rest just leads to a sluggish start and they take a few games to find their legs. That being said every NHL team is in the same boat so that should even the playing field and the Canucks stars will have to lead the team having been the ones that played through the two weeks off.
The thing everyone’s going to be watching the most on this trip though is going to be Henrik Sedin’s play. He leads the NHL in the points race going into this road trip, but of the 76 points he’s scored this year, 49 of them have been on home ice. That’s the most by any NHL Player this season, but means if Henrik is going to contend throughout the remainder of the season his road numbers are going to have to go up drastically. This road trip is going to define the Canucks season. It’s been said before and sounds somewhat cliché, but it plays a role in determining whether the Canucks chase a playoff spot down the stretch or sit comfortably while watching the rat race, and it’s going to determine just how good Henrik Sedin really is. Either way, with the last three games of the regular season versus NW division opponents, you can’t help but think this season is going to come down to the wire yet again.
Share this:FacebookTwitterGooglePinterestMoreDiggRedditStumbleUponEmailLinkedInTumblrPocketLike this:Like Loading... Posted by Richard Loat at 11:14 am Tagged with: Henrik Sedin, Olympics
http://twitter.com/VanCitySports VanCitySports
Yeah, the first half shouldn’t be a problem. That second half is sorta nasty. They have a nine point buffer on the Wings/Flames so .500 should probably sufficient to stay in the playoff picture (Wings or Flames would need to go roughly 10-1-3 just to tie us in points) but that’s not good enough for me.
http://www.leftcoastbydesign.ca/ Chris
What worries me the most about the road trip is the first half – simply due to the fact that Canucks have a penchant of playing to the quality of their opponents. What do you think the chances are that the team can be provided with fake statistics that show every team they play in first place the night before?
On Being a Canucks Fan
Super Twin Powers Activate
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30 for 30 Series
The Conversations
This Time With Meaning: Survive and Advance
Dereck Whittenburg receives the awkward one-handed fling from Thurl Bailey less like the targeted shooter in the closing seconds of a national championship basketball game than like a defensive back intercepting a wayward pass before it sails into the bleachers. From nearer to half court than the 3-point arc, Whittenburg gathers the ball, turns, takes a deep knee bend and fires. It's a moon shot, and at the very moment it becomes obvious that the ball won't reach the rim Lorenzo Charles leaps into the frame, collects the ball near the iron and drops it into the hoop as time expires, giving North Carolina State a 54-52 upset victory over the University of Houston and sending the Wolfpack's flamboyant head coach Jim Valvano running around on the court looking for someone to hug.
It's one of the most famous sequences in college basketball history — memorable because NC State wasn't supposed to have a chance against Houston in that 1983 NCAA championship, memorable because Valvano's reaction reveals both his shock and his spirit, memorable because the game-winning bucket and Valvano's reaction are so charmingly inelegant and, last but not least, memorable because CBS and ESPN play the hell out of that highlight clip each March. If you're even a little bit of a college basketball fan, you've seen that play at least a dozen times. It's the quintessential March Madness moment and it's something of an eternal flame for Valvano, the beloved coach, broadcaster and motivational speaker. That said, the ubiquity of the NC State upset highlight is the very thing that made me skeptical about Survive and Advance, the latest edition of ESPN Films' "30 for 30" series, which seeks to climax with a sports moment that is as worn from overuse as a child's favorite toy. In the original "30 for 30" volume, director Jonathan Hock did a marvelous job reviving the forgotten legend of Marcus Dupree, but I wondered if he could be as successful crafting drama and insight from a story that is already so familiar.
Turns out, he was ready.
Indeed, Survive and Advance gives due analysis to that game-winning play (all it's missing is Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison saying "back and to the left"), but what it does more impressively is to provide the play with emotional meaning through context — which is to say that Hock's film makes that highlight matter again. It's one thing to watch that clip and remember that NC State was an underdog even before it met up with the "Phi Slamma Jamma" Houston team starring Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, but it's another thing to really see it and feel it. Hock's documentary backs up to show us the improbable path that brought the Wolfpack to that one shining moment — a route that included numerous come-from-behind victories that would seem unbelievable even today that were even more miraculous in the pre-shot-clock era when teams could sit on even a mere 2-point lead for, well, as long as they wanted. NC State didn't just win these do-or-die games in the NCAA Tournament but, before that, in the ACC Tournament, which the Wolfpack had to win to gain entry into the big dance. In the nine-game run that closed out their season, NC State survived not one but two matchups with 7-foot-4 center Ralph Sampson, got through Michael Jordan's North Carolina Tar Heels and defeated Olajuwon on a night he scored 20, pulled down 18 boards and blocked 7 shots. And they did it all with a roster of players you wouldn't remember today if they hadn't done the unforgettable. At 100 minutes, Survive and Advance is one of the longer documentaries in a "30 for 30" series that tends to do better at half that length. But after a slow start, Hock's doc repeatedly earns its running time. It's packed with interviews and roundtable reminiscences from the surviving members of that team, and it gets in its fair share of Valvano highlights from archival press conferences and speeches. But the film's strength is its game footage, which captures college basketball at a time when it was simultaneously more developed, less advanced and more joyously idiosyncratic than it is today (you gotta love some of these players' form on free throws!) and it blessedly lives up to and even surpasses the Cardiac Pack's rosy legend. Don't get me wrong: the Wolfpack's title run isn't pretty. NC State repeatedly earns victories by virtue of their opposition choking at the free throw line. It might not sound like gripping sports drama, but it becomes just that by virtue of the frequency with which the Wolfpack survives sure defeat. Equally important, the rare chemistry that NC State players had with their charismatic coach is supported by the archival footage, too: Again, it's one thing for grown men to speak eloquently of Valvano's influence on them 20 years removed from his tragic death, but it's another thing to see Bailey, as a quiet collegian, say in a routine interview that he and his teammates "really believe in Coach V," or to see Whittenburg picking up his coach after numerous wins and kissing him on the cheek in the post-championship press conference. With a light touch, Hock repeatedly demonstrates that the 1983 NC State team was special long before they were champions, and that they deeply loved Valvano long before he became a figure of national admiration and sympathy through his battle with cancer. There's still an air of hagiography to any depiction of Valvano, despite Hock's attempts to highlight the coach's faults without getting too far off topic, but, man, it's hard to feel as if Valvano doesn't earn it. Sure, you can see why he'd have rubbed some people the wrong way; even if you thought he was saintly you could find the volume of his saintliness overwhelming. But there's a sincerity to his spirit that makes you want to forgive his obvious need for attention. In his famous ESPY's acceptance speech, which Hock chronicles, Valvano urged everyone to strive to laugh, think and be moved to tears every day. Hock directs Survive and Advance as if he's trying to help us meet our daily quota. Hock's picture reminds us of what we love about sports and cinema.
Survive and Advance premieres tonight on ESPN at 9 pm ET, and will rerun frequently thereafter. The Cooler hopes to review each new film in the "30 for 30" series upon its release.
See the Volume 1 and Volume 2 archive.
I liked the structure of "Survive and Advance." Many of the 30 for 30s have been unimaginatively linear, and so I was expecting more of a standard rise-and-decline narrative (b-ball in the first hour, cancer in the second). Some may see holding off the Lorenzo Charles climax as supplying a feel-good ending, but I think Hock's point is that, with Valvano and his legacy, all these parts are integrated and moving simultaneously. They glossed over the violations a bit, as you said, but then I'm half-surprised they were mentioned at all.
Craig: I'm glad you mentioned the structure. I meant to point that out in my review.At the point they bring up Valvano's cancer diagnosis and death it seemed like odd timing, but the doc is much better for it, because by distrupting the tired linear trajectory (any break from the norm is nice) it keeps us focused on the content as it unfolds, rather than waiting for Hock to touch each base, if you forgive the baseball metaphor.As for the violations, yeah, I'm torn on that one. Covering that ground is necessary to offset the impression that the doc would have otherwise created, that Valvano was flawless. But beyond that, the violations really have nothing whatsoever to do with the 1983 do-or-die championship run, and so to focus on them at length would have been to get lost in a scandalous aside. So the more I think of it, the more it feels like the right kind of balance for THIS story, whereas if this were a straightforward Valvano profile I'd say it was certainly unbalanced.Despite the somewhat nonlinear approach, there's certainly a lot of convention in this doc; nothing about it is as stylistically daring as JUNE 17, 1994 or WINNING TIME, and it doesn't feel Important the way THE TWO ESCOBARS does. But it's fitting that SURVIVE AND ADVANCE succeeds much like the team it profiles: on solid fundamentals and spirit. (I suppose that should have been in my review, too. Ugh.)
CoolerCinema at gmail dot comTwitter: @CoolerCinema
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Colorado accepts invitation to join Pac-10
June 10, 2010 | Filed under: Daily News | Tags:Pac-10 Conference, University of Colorado
By The Colorado Buffaloes have bolted from the Big 12, accepting an invitation today to become the 11th member of the Pac-10 Conference.
It’s the first expansion of the league since it added Arizona and Arizona State in 1978. More teams could follow Colorado from the Big 12 to the Pac-10. Reports say Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could accept invitations soon.
Colorado’s move was first reported by The Sporting News.
Before the Buffaloes jumped ship to another conference, Nebraska looked poised to become the first team to leave the Big 12, possibly exiting for the Big Ten as soon as Friday.
With Colorado gone and Nebraska on the verge of maybe moving on, this could seriously damage remaining members’ hopes to keep the Big 12 intact. Schools such as Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State might be left on the sidelines.
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott announced in February that the conference was exploring possible expansion. He was given the authority last weekend from the schools to offer invitations to potential new members.
“The University of Colorado is a great fit for the conference both academically and athletically,” Scott said in a statement.
Colorado president Bruce Benson echoed those thoughts, saying, “Our achievements and aspirations match those of the universities in the conference and we look forward to a productive relationship.”
Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne wasn’t at all surprised by the Buffaloes’ move out West.
“That’s something we thought might happen,” he said.
Could Nebraska be next?
“Until we have a definite decision, I’m not saying anything else,” Osborne said.
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A's Magical Ride Comes To An End
This story originally published on OaklandClubhouse.com
The A's wave to the Coliseum crowd after the game.
Senior EditorPosted Oct 12, 2012
OAKLAND - The Oakland A's were able to defy the odds all season, but they finally found a challenge they couldn't overcome in Detroit Tigers' ace Justin Verlander. The A's lost Game Five to the Tigers by a score of 6-0 and are headed home after a memorable 2012 campaign.
Jarrod Parker was good. Justin Verlander was better. And the Oakland A’s are going home.
The Detroit Tigers’ ace lived up to his billing as the reigning AL MVP and Cy Young award winner, dominating the A’s in a complete-game, four-hit shutout masterpiece. Verlander struck-out 11, walked only one and allowed only two base-runners to get as far as second base.
Parker had good stuff, but was burned by the bottom of the order. Ninth-place hitter Omar Infante reached base all three times he faced Parker and he scored twice. Leadoff hitter Austin Jackson doubled home Infante in the third inning to plate the game’s first run and then later scored on a wild pitch. Those were all the runs Verlander would need, although Jackson later collected another RBI in the Tigers’ four-run seventh inning that put the game away.
During the pre-game press conference, Detroit manager Jim Leyland hinted that Verlander would be his own closer in the game.
“I’m pretty sure this game will be decided by him,” Leyland said.
“I’m not taking him out, I can assure you of that because I don’t have anyone better to bring in.”
Leyland proved prophetic, as Verlander cruised through the A’s line-up. After the game, Verlander pointed to his change-up as the key pitch in his arsenal against the A’s left-handed heavy line-up.
”My change up was working well for me tonight, I could tell from the first batter, from Coco, that it was going to be an effective pitch for me,” Verlander said. ”It's just one of those things as a pitcher you go out and see what you've got and what's going to work for you that night. I was hoping my change up was going to be good with as many lefties as they had. If it was on, I knew it would make it tough on them, and thankfully it was.”
The A’s had plenty of late game magic during the season, but the magic ran out in the seventh inning when Detroit batted around and scored four times with several of those hits blooping in or glancing off of gloves. That inning took a close 2-0 game and made it 6-0. Parker was charged with four runs in 6.1 innings, but he pitched better than that line would indicate. He struck-out six, walked only one and induced six groundball outs.
The sellout crowd of 36,393 was on its feet and loud early, but the A’s gave them little to get excited about. Yoenis Cespedes lined a sharp double to left-center in the first inning with two-outs, but the scoring threat was quickly erased when Seth Smith hit a check-swing comebacker to Verlander. That would be the A’s only runner to reach second base until the A’s got two on with two outs in the eighth. In the third, Brandon Moss drew a two-out walk, but he was erased on the first pitch to Derek Norris when Moss tried to advance to second on a ball that bounced in the dirt. That would be the A’s last base-runner until Moss singled in the fifth.
Pitch count is rarely an issue for Verlander, who regularly has been allowed to exceed 120 pitches, especially in the post-season, but he was able to keep his number reasonable. He didn’t reach 90 pitches until the seventh inning and rarely had to make a pitch under duress. He finished with 122 pitches.
It was a disappointing ending to the A’s memorable 2012 campaign, which was extended one more night on Wednesday when Oakland mounted a three-run, ninth-inning rally to defeat the Tigers, 4-3. After the game, the capacity crowd at the Coliseum gave the team a raucous standing ovation and many of the players lingered in front of the A’s dugout, hugging each other and waving to the crowd. Chants of “Let’s Go Oakland” continued several minutes after the game had ended.
The A’s expressed their appreciation for the support of their home crowd throughout the divisional series.
"I hope to see crowds like that every game next year. You saw how we play when they come out like that. We do some special things," A’s closer Grant Balfour said.
Despite losing key players to injury and suspension late in the season, Oakland erased a five-game deficit in the AL West over the season’s final nine games to earn the franchise’s 15th AL West title. The A’s are hopeful that this season is the foundation for an extended period of success. Most of the A’s current roster is set to return to the team in 2013. Oakland will have to decide whether to pursue free-agents-to-be Brandon McCarthy and Jonny Gomes. They are expected to decline shortstop Stephen Drew’s $10 million option for 2013, but could try to sign him for a lower amount. The A’s also have a team-option worth $4.5 million on reliever Grant Balfour that they are likely to pick up.
Pitching should still be a strength for Oakland in 2013. The A’s will have the benefit of returning a rotation that could include Parker, Brett Anderson, Tom Milone, A.J. Griffin and Dan Straily, even if they don’t re-sign McCarthy. Prospects Brad Peacock and Sonny Gray could also factor for Oakland next season. In the bullpen, Balfour (team option), Sean Doolittle, Ryan Cook, Jerry Blevins, Evan Scribner, Jim Miller, Travis Blackley, Pedro Figueroa and Pat Neshek are all under team control. Oakland should be fairly stable on the position-player side of the roster, as well. Gomes is the only free agent amongst the team’s regulars. The A’s outfield will be pretty much set going into the off-season, with starters Yoenis Cespedes, Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick and Seth Smith all under team control. In the infield, Brandon Moss, Chris Carter, Cliff Pennington and Josh Donaldson are also under team control. A’s 2011 third baseman Scott Sizemore will be back after missing all of the 2012 season with a torn ACL. Sizemore figures to battle with Donaldson, Pennington, Jemile Weeks and possibly Grant Green for playing time at second and third. Chris Carter is likely to continue to share time at first with Moss, unless one of them establishes himself as the obvious choice to be the everyday player.
Behind the plate, Derek Norris and George Kottaras are also both under team control.
"Hopefully we can keep the team together," Balfour said. " I believe it's a team with great chemistry."
Notes: With Evan Scribner’s appearance in the 8th, the A’s set a record for the most number of rookie pitchers to appear in a post-season series…With the Orioles and Nationals winning both of their Game 4s on Thursday, it marked the first time since the divisional series format was introduced that all four series reached the final fifth game…Jonny Gomes made his first appearance of the series in a pinch-hitting appearance for Derek Norris in the bottom of the eighth inning. He received a standing ovation and flew out to left. Related Stories
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-by OaklandClubhouse.com Oct 5, 2012
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Oakland A's Fall Q&A: Keith Lieppman, Part 2
-by OaklandClubhouse.com Oct 19, 2012
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Style - Kicks and Gear, Video Games / Aug 23, 2013 / 11:15 am
Dime Q&A: Damian Lillard Talks NBA LIVE 14 & Shows Off His Rap Skills
By Matt Gibson
Damian Lillard (photo. Aaron Hewitt)
Earlier this week, I had the chance to catch up with Damian Lillard in Orlando at the EA Sports Studios where we got the inside track on the new NBA Live 2014 that comes out for PS4 and Xbox One this fall. Not only did we get to see all of the details that go into making an awesome video game, but we both received the full motion capture experience by putting on the mo-cap suits and getting recorded in action. After helping Damian record some of his own signature moves for the game with my help as a dummy defender, we then got to square off in a friendly one-on-one match in which the Rookie of the Year was nice enough to let me score on him twice after getting five straight buckets of his own.
Towards the end of our day, I sat down with the reigning Rookie of the Year for an exclusive one-on-one interview in which we talked about the day, what he’s been up to this summer, his team’s new additions and expectations, as well as his affinity for hip-hop.
Dime: So we’re here for the making of NBA Live 14. Talk about you’re experience today with making the game.
Damian Lillard: It was cool, bruh. I had seen this a bunch of times, where they (players) put the suits on and have balls and all that attached to them. Just being a part of it — that’s cool. Dime: It’s your second year in the league coming up. Is it still kind of surreal to see yourself in video games with your in-game attributes so on point?
DL: It is man. It really is. It’s different because I remember in college, it was so off (for NCAA). They wouldn’t have our names, they had the wrong numbers on there sometimes. Just the fact that it’s going from being so off to now it’s like on point, and it’s going to have my moves and my facial expressions. It’s like night and day. So I think it’s cool that I got the opportunity to do something like this. Dime: How excited are you to join Kyrie as one of the young athletes that EA targeted with this game?
DL: I’m excited about it. I mean he — like I’ve said before, he’s been an All-Star, he’s been on the up-and-up since his first year in the league also. Just the fact that I’m able to be in that same line, joining him here, doing this thing with Live is cool and I’m excited about the opportunity and hopefully I can back up my first year the same way that he did with an All-Star appearance. Dime: What’s got you specifically excited about the release of this year’s game?
DL: Other than the fact that they haven’t had a game in a few years, the fact that they’re onto a few different new things. It’s different now because at first the graphics was kind of off and now since the last game, you’ve seen 2K have all these different features and now they’re kind of on to their own thing and they (Live) should have a game that should be competitive with 2K so I’m excited to see the difference and why somebody would want to have Live instead of 2K. Dime: Going back to the mo-cap suit that you put on today, what was your favorite part of that whole experience, other than the head gear being a little uncomfortable?
DL: The head gear was too hot (laughs). My favorite part of it, I mean, I kept looking up at the camera and I could see when I had the whole suit on and I could see how it was capturing everything so it was cool. Other than that, I don’t really know what to say about it.
Dime: Are you a big gamer at all? Like do you play any video games with some of your teammates when you guys are on the road or anything like that?
DL: Nah, I don’t play against people — too weak. But I play video games though. Dime: Madden, Fifa, any of that stuff?
DL: I don’t play Madden. I play Fight Night, 2K and College Football.
Dime: Moving on to this offseason, what have you been up to this summer?
DL: Nothing man, just a bunch of traveling. Doing all this stuff for adidas, stuff for the league and other than that, I’ve just been at home working out.
Dime: Speaking of working out, earlier in the summer you said you were hoping to work with Gary Payton before training camp. Have you guys connected yet?
DL: Not yet. I mean, we still got a lot of time to. I think we will but we haven’t yet.
Dime: Talk a little bit about your experience at the Team USA Mini-Camp.
DL: Mini-Camp was a lot of fun. It was like all of the top young players there and it was kind of that feeling of the draft again when you’re trying to win people over so I think it was fun just competing for the few spots that it’s going to be. You know just having three days to play against some of the top players and work out with some of the top players and get to know guys that you probably didn’t have a chance to know that well. So it was a cool week.
Dime: What was it like to work with Coach K?
DL: That was tight man. He’s probably the most inspirational coach I’ve ever been around. Every day he had an inspirational video to show us. Literally. Seriously. He had a video every day at the end of every meeting that was inspirational. I’m not easily inspired by like stories and stuff like that and everyday he had me ready. I was ready for practice. So he’s one of the most inspirational coaches. He don’t have to say a lot to get a lot — to get his point across, you know what I mean?
Dime: So with the season coming up, your organization obviously had a really busy offseason, especially with getting you help in the backcourt. Talk about the additions of C.J. McCollum and Mo Williams.
DL: C.J. McCollum is a great scorer. He can really shoot the ball so he’ll stretch the floor. He can handle the ball, he can make plays. Me and him can be on the floor at the same time and me and Mo can be on the floor at the same time because both of them can shoot, both of them can make plays so I can be on or off the ball and having those guys will allow me to rest a little more so I won’t have as much responsibility on offense.
Dime: Right, and that leads actually to my next question: You led the NBA in minutes last year. Are you looking forward to getting a rest every now and then with your new additions?
DL: Yeah, I mean if they need me to play — I’m sure there’ll be some nights where I play high minutes and there’ll be a lot of nights where I’m in-between but it’s really whatever the team needs me to do. Keep reading to see how good of a rapper Dame is… Pages : 1 2 Tags: C.J. McCollum, Damian Lillard, J.Cole, Mike Krzyzewski, NBA LIVE 14
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2013 Recruiting Class Photos
Wednesday, July 24, 2013Buccaneers welcome nine newcomers
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (July 24, 2013) – The ETSU men’s soccer team will look to improve upon its solid 2012 campaign by adding nine newcomers to the roster. Head coach Scott Calabrese recently announced the program’s incoming 2013 recruiting class, which will join an ETSU team that has advanced to the conference finals twice in the past three years.
Joining the Buccaneers this fall will be Daniel Adelman (Johnson City, Tenn.), Warren Austin (Kingsport, Tenn.), Donte Brangman (Southampton, Bermuda), Thibault Civalier (Nice, France), Troy Dolmetsch (Northville, Mich.), Jeffrey George (Safety Harbor, Fla.), Suddy Hutchins (Knoxville, Tenn.), William Nordenstrom (Linkoping, Sweden), and Anthony Wojas (Dijon, France).
“I am extremely pleased with the incoming class of 2013,” Calabrese said. “It provides a balance of youth and experience, as well as individuals with the necessary talent to help us progress as a program.”
Brangman, who was a member of the 2011 ESPN Rise National Championship Team, played in 10 matches as a freshman last season at Saint Louis University. The midfielder and Southampton, Bermuda, native started in six contests for the Billikens, including wins against nationally ranked Creighton and Louisville.
Wojas, a former member of AJ Auxerre Academy, attended the University of Burgundy at Dijon. The forward was a part of the French U19 League Champion team in 2011.
The experience of Brangman and Wojas will be a welcome addition to a Buccaneers team that returns 17 letterwinners and seven starters from last season.
“We have a strong core group of returners and believe that the new players will only help to make us stronger in our aim of challenging for the conference championship,” Calabrese said.
Wojas joins Civalier as the two French born players in this year’s recruiting class. Civalier was also a member of AJ Auxerre Academy, where he played center back for the U19 team. The Nice, France, native will join ETSU as a defender.
George, the other defender in the recruiting class, advanced to the 2012 United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Academy Playoffs as a member of the Chargers Soccer Club. He was also a member of the Florida State Olympic Development Program (ODP) team.
Three incoming freshmen hail from the Volunteer State—Tennessee.
Adelman (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Austin (Kingsport, Tenn.) are natives of the Tri-Cities area, while Hutchins is from nearby Knoxville, Tenn. Adelman, a goalkeeper, played alongside Hutchins, a midfielder, on the FC Alliance 95 Black club team. Hutchins was a Tennessee All-State selection. All three players were members of the Tennessee State ODP team.
Dolmetsch was a member of the 2012 Disney Showcase Champion team. The midfielder was also a Michigan All-State selection.
Nordenstrom, a forward, scored 16 goals in 17 games while playing for Atvidaberg FF U19 last season. He also participated in Swedish U17 National Team Training Camp in 2011.
“Each player brings different qualities to the program, and we continually strive to find players that are not only technically and tactically competent enough to play in our system, but, most importantly, have the drive and motivation to be successful members of our program on and off the field,” Calabrese said.
The Buccaneers will begin the season August 30 in Columbia, S.C., with a match against South Carolina, before hosting Kentucky September 5.
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Home / News / Business & Economy / Canadian stadium holds lessons for Metrodome Could a recently renovated Metrodome-like stadium in Canada be a blueprint for the Vikings’ needs? BC Place, built in the same era and style, was renovated for $563 million. Canadian stadium holds lessons for Metrodome
By: Brian Johnson October 11, 2011
7:50 am 3 Comments
The renovated BC Place stadium opened in late September in Vancouver, B.C. The Metrodome-like stadium was renovated for about half the cost of a proposed new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills. (Submitted photo: BC Pavilion Corp.)
BC Place, built in same era and style, renovated for $563 million
Could a recently renovated Metrodome-like stadium in Canada be a blueprint for the Vikings’ needs?
In late September, the Vancouver, B.C.-based BC Pavilion Corp. unveiled its BC Place stadium, home of the British Columbia Lions football team. Before the taxpayer-funded renovation, the stadium was about the same age, size and style as the 29-year-old Metrodome.
The Canadian project was completed for $563 million — considered a relative bargain by today’s standards and about half as much as it would cost to build a proposed Vikings stadium in Arden Hills.
“This is a complete refurbishment of using the really solid bones of the original BC Place,” David Podmore, chairman of BC Pavilion Corp., told the Vancouver Sun recently. “We’ve created an entirely new, really modern, much more functional venue than the original building.”
Vikings officials have long stated that the Metrodome no longer meets the team’s needs and that they don’t intend to renew their Metrodome lease after it expires at the end of the 2011 season.
But the Vikings have no interest in renovation. The team cites a report that claims it would cost far more than $560 million to renovate the Metrodome, which got a new roof and new playing surface this summer after the December 2010 roof collapse.
“We remain entirely focused on Arden Hills, which we believe is the best option for the state, Ramsey County, and the team,” Jeff Anderson, the Vikings’ director of corporate communications, wrote in an email to Finance & Commerce. “The Vikings — and others — have explored renovation numerous times in the past and eliminated it as a viable option based on analyses by architects and contractors.”
The team says it would contribute about $350 million — plus cost overruns — toward the Arden Hills project. A proposed 0.5 cent sales tax in Ramsey County would provide another $350 million, and the team wants the state to contribute $300 million.
Some Ramsey County residents have asked for the county’s share to be contingent on voter approval, and state funding faces strong skepticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
Meanwhile, a report due this week to the Metropolitan Council is expected to address lingering questions about the cost, transportation needs, soil remediation and other issues related to the proposed stadium in Arden Hills.
The Vikings plan to end their lease at the Metrodome at the end of this season. (Staff photo: Bill Klotz)
In 2000, long before Arden Hills was in play, then-Vikings owner Red McCombs rejected a proposed $358 million renovation of the Metrodome.
Team officials said in 2000 that a renovation would cost nearly as much as a new stadium and that it wouldn’t generate enough revenue for the team. At the time, the estimated cost of a new stadium was about $425 million.
Today, however, the cost of a new stadium in Arden Hills is about $1.1 billion — far higher than the $563 million it cost to renovate and put a retractable roof on BC Place in Vancouver.
BC Place opened in 1983, a year after the Metrodome opened. Before it was renovated, BC Place was similar to the Metrodome in terms of style, roof design and seating capacity.
BC Place Pavilion Corp., which owns and operates the stadium, said BC Place has hosted about 26 million visitors since 1983, but it also noted in recent years that the stadium and its air-supported roof were “nearing the end of their designated lifecycle.”
In 2008, BC Pavilion Corp. announced plans to “revitalize” the stadium. The two-phase project began in September that year with upgraded common spaces, redesigned guest suites, new energy-efficient lighting, new exterior and interior signage, and structural upgrades to accommodate the retractable roof.
Phase 2’s work included the retractable roof, improved lighting and sound systems, a new video board, improved climate and temperature control, and improvements to the electrical, structural and mechanical systems, according to a report from BC Pavilion.
BC Pavilion expects the project to enable the stadium to host a wider range of events, with a projected $100 million per year economic impact for British Columbia.
Moreover, the improvements will result in energy savings of about $350,000 per year, BC Pavilion noted.
The estimated cost of a new multipurpose stadium in British Columbia was “in excess of $1 billion,” according to BC Pavilion.
From an environmental standpoint, “revitalization of the existing stadium saves natural resources, including the raw materials, energy and water resources required to build a new facility,” BC Pavilion added.
Most of the cost is being financed by Canadian taxpayers, and not everyone is convinced that BC Place renovation was a great investment.
“That doesn’t look like a $600 million roof,” one observer wrote in the comments section of a YouTube video of BC Place.
A commenter on the CBC News website wrote, “With a struggling economy and all of the cuts to government services, British Columbians need a ridiculous $458 million roof like we need a hole in the head.”
An exterior view of BC Place since it reopened in September. (Submitted photo: BC Pavilion Corp.)
Tom Mayenknecht, a Vancouver-based sports business commentator, said in a separate online video that BC Place will actually be the 13th most expensive sports venue in the world when the initial construction costs, adjusted for inflation, are factored in.
He said it’s “not in the same league” as venues like the new $1 billion Dallas Cowboys stadium, but is more expensive than “good stadiums” like the University of Phoenix facility.
Asked about the Vikings’ situation, Phil Krinkie, president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota and a longtime critic of public subsidies for professional sports stadiums, said he’s among those who think a 30-year-old stadium doesn’t need to be torn down.
He alluded to the University of Minnesota’s renovation of Williams Arena.
“If the Gophers can renovate the old Williams Arena, the Barn, you can certainly renovate the Metrodome into an improved and enhanced facility,” Krinkie said.
Krinkie said the Vikings have a “track record” of walking away from stadium proposals, including a shared Vikings-Gophers stadium, a stadium in Anoka County, a renovated Metrodome and a new stadium at the Metrodome site.
In the case of Arden Hills, Krinkie said, there are still lots of unanswered questions about everything from environmental issues to who would get the naming rights and parking revenue.
The Vikings appear to be certain about one thing: Renovation doesn’t make sense to them.
Anderson cited a December 2009 study by Wayzata-based Conventions, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), which estimated it would cost $967.4 million to renovate the Metrodome in line with a plan developed in 2001.
Under that plan, the renovated Metrodome would have 8,900 club seats (up from the current 242) and 155 suites (up from the current 99).
CSL’s report said its information was based on “estimates, assumptions and other information developed from research of the market, knowledge of the entertainment facility industry and other factors.”
In his email statement, Anderson said renovation is “too costly, is not a long-term solution and will not provide the game-day experience that people deserve. If we are going to make this kind of investment, let’s do it the right way.”
But at least one reader of a recent New York Times article about the Vikings stadium situation disagreed.
“Our BC Place stadium (almost a carbon copy of your Metrodome) was just retrofitted to a state-of-the-art retractable roof stadium at a cost of $560 million,” the reader noted in the story’s comments section. “At about half the price of what is being considered in Arden Hills, I can honestly say the end product provides Vancouver with a new multifunctional facility, which should serve our community very well for another 25 years.”
The BP Place reopening:
Analysis of the new stadium:
Share this:EmailPrintFacebookLinkedInTwitterGoogle +1 Anoka County Arden Hills BC Pavilion Corp. BC Place David Podmore Metrodome Red McCombs Vikings stadium 7:50 am Tue, October 11, 2011
Finance & Commerce Brian Johnson
Tagged with: Anoka County Arden Hills BC Pavilion Corp. BC Place David Podmore Metrodome Red McCombs Vikings stadium 3 comments Erik Helgerson October 11, 2011 at 9:54 am
Interesting article on the Vancouver, BC stadium. However your superficial comparisons are not true “apples to oranges” comparisons. Here are a few of many examples of items not mentioned 1) What about the three years of 15,000 + seats of lost revenues while the Vikes pay at TCF Bank Stadium. 2) How about no revenue for tailgating at the new place. 3) How about no tailgating at the renovated Dome site. Plentiful and spacious tailgating is an absolute requirement for any new NFL stadium. 4) What is the area like around the BC stadium. Around the Metrodome (and in the Metrodome) there are minimal tailgating/bar/restaurant/etc. options for all gameday fans to enjoy pre and post game.
If the Vikes were to build at the Farmers Market site or on the Metrodome site, we would have a nice stadium in a poor location. The best site for long term viability and to achieve a true fantastic destination site for all Viking fans to enjoy a true gameday experience is the Arden Hills site. The Metrodome site has never worked in the past and will never work in the future. Here is a partial, “off the top of my head” list of NFL stadiums on large suburban land plots with lots of tailgating space: Dallas, Kansas City, Philadelphia, New England, New York Jets, New York Giants, Washington, Tampa, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo, and Green Bay. An Arden Hills-like solution works perfect in those cities!!! C’mon, Brian do a little more homework.
Zach Pasdoe October 11, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Sorry Erik, but a renovated Metrodome site makes more sense and I find it necessary to respond to your argument, which is based around tailgaiting. First of all, tailgating is a thing of the past. The San Francisco 49ers recently banned tailgating and more teams will likely follow so, a sea of parking lots will not be needed for a new / renovated stadium. Furthermore, if one is past the age of 21, is it really necessary for him/her to tailgate? Honestly, if one is past the age of 21 and finds it necessary to tailgate, I think s/he either needs to grow up, find a significant other, get some help for his/her drinking problem or all of the above. As far as the revenue lost due to lost seating, I’m sure the NFL would step in and help Zygi out with the lost revenue so you don’t need to be concerned with that issue. In regards to your comment about no revenue for tailgating, where do you think that revenue goes? Zygi would get all revenue from parking at an Arden Hills stadium so, I’m not sure why you are concerned about Zygi losing profits if one can’t tailgate near the Metrodome. As far as tailgating being an absolute requirement for any new NFL stadium – according to who? I enjoy drinking, but I don’t find it necessary to tailgate nor do my friends who live in different NFL cities. Also, I’m willing to bet the majority of NFL fans don’t think it’s necessary to drink before a game.
Tony Wagner October 11, 2011 at 3:46 pm
To correct Zach: the 49ers banned tailgating after the game has started, apparently an effort to curb incidents of fan violence.
To respond to Erik: there is no question that a new Arden Hills stadium would work perfectly for the Vikings. What’s unclear is whether it is the optimal deal for the public, and just looking at public portion of the price tag suggests that it is not.
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Why Bill Hall over Jeff Keppinger?
Wade and Hall toured the field shortly after Hall’s signing was officially announced on Monday. Ed Wade set out this offseason to upgrade at second base or shortstop or both, hoping to find more run production from two spots that produced, combined, exactly nine home runs in 2010. You might have looked at Jeff Keppinger’s numbers last year — .288, 34 doubles, 59 RBIs, and wondered why they would want to swap him out with Hall, who hit for a lower average — .247 — and had fewer RBIs (46). It comes down to power — the Astros need more pop in their lineup, and they feel Clint Barmes and Hall have more to offer than Tommy Manzella and Keppinger. Hall slugged .456 last year, as compared with Keppinger’s .393, and that, ultimately, is what prompted Wade to make this move. “Bill brings some additional offensive punch to our lineup,” Wade said. “He hit 18 home runs in limited at-bats last year with Boston and we think our offense is enhanced with the run-producing potential that both he and Clint Barmes can provide. Bill’s defensive versatility allows us to consider using him a number of different ways, but our plan is to have him play second base regularly. Jeff Keppinger has done a very solid job for us over the past two seasons and with his versatility, we believe there will be plenty of at-bats to go around.”
Meanwhile, Hall, who has played everywhere in the infield (minus first base) and all three outfield positions during his nine-year career, is happy to be targeted for just one position in 2011 and said that opportunity gave the Astros an edge over his other suitors. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of ability to play other positions and I do take pride in my defense,” Hall said. “I don’t consider myself a utility player. I consider myself a baseball player. I am happy with the opportunity to play one position. I always said, I’m really good at lots of positions, but if I concentrate on one, hopefully I can be great.”
On another note, we’re only a couple weeks away from finding out if Jeff Bagwell will be voted into the Hall of Fame. I’m sticking to my earlier prediction that he’ll need more than one time on the ballot to be elected, but it’s been interesting to read about how voters feel about Bagwell and some of the other players eligible for election this year. I ran across one particularly interesting one by Jeff Fletcher, Sr. MLB writer for Fanhouse. As I read it, it kind of cemented my earlier argument that the voting system is somewhat flawed. This is not remotely a criticism of Mr. Fletcher, who, by the way, feels Bagwell is Hall of Fame worthy. But one paragraph, meant to illustrate Mr. Fletcher’s initial pursuit to figure out whether Bagwell indeed was a Hall of Famer, stood out to me:
Did anyone ever go to the ballpark just because he wanted to see Bagwell play? Did you ever read the phrase “future Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell” when he was playing?
The answer to question one: Yes. The answer to question two: Yes. Yes, yes, yes. But if you didn’t live in Houston, and weren’t surrounded by Astros baseball, and had only minimal exposure to this team, how could you possibly know that? Mr. Fletcher looked at Bagwell’s raw stats and saw where Bagwell stacked up among the greatest players in history, and that was enough to put the first baseman on his Hall of Fame ballot. Not every voter will feel the same way when they look at Bagwell’s stats — at least not this year — but considering where the Astros fit into the national scope during Bagwell’s 15 years in the big leagues, I wonder how much that lack of exposure hurts him now. In other words, the Astros were a really good team, for a really long time, and were largely ignored elsewhere in the country. If Bagwell had played in New York or Boston, would we even be discussing this? Or would he be considered a Hall of Fame no-doubter? Like this:Like Loading...
Filed in: Dailies Tags: Astros, Bill Hall, Jeff Bagwell 6 Comments
Would someone go to the ballpark just to see Bagwell? SURE!
I actually drove all the way to Philly (from Washington DC area) to see Bagwell play on Mothers Day 2003. He had gotten off to a way hot start with homers, and I took a Bagwell sign to the game. He took batting practice, and then had the day off. :-(
I also watched (on the live stats) the Hooks game on Aug 31, 2005 — Bagwell’s first rehab game after the shoulder surgery.
So, even though I’m out here in Exile, and don’t get to many Astros games, yeah — I’d go to a ballpark just to see Bagwell play. And I’d go to Spring Training to watch him coaching the youngsters in the minor league practice field too. I’m guessing he won’t go in this summer for all the reason Alyson says. But when he does go in, I’d go to Cooperstown just to see him too!
By astrosfaninexile on December 20, 2010 10:07 pm - Reply
I’m getting absolutely sick to death of hearing the reasoning being “adding run production,” as though popping a few extra solo homers (and that’s what they’ll be because, guess what, we were JUST as bad at getting on-base as we were at slugging last year!) is suddenly going to make our offense competitive again. We’re subtracting OBP to add a bit of power, and we’re getting older and spending more money in the process (that is, unless they foolishly trade away the younger, controllable Keppinger in order to make payroll room). During all this time, all that the front office has done is talk down on what Keppinger brings; decent defense, solid AB’s and affordability, and all to sell the lie that we’re actually improving with this move. When was the last time anyone mentioned the fact that Keppinger struck out LESS than he walked last season? How about the fact that Bill Hall strikes out FOUR TIMES as much as Keppinger? How about the fact that Bill Hall has hit .233 over the last FOUR SEASONS COMBINED? In my opinion, anyone who seriously thinks this is any manner of significant or meaningful upgrade is a lunatic.
By Ashitaka on December 21, 2010 6:25 am - Reply
Alyson, you’re right on the money with team vs numbers as a factor in the minds of Hall voters. Look no further than Mattingly, who’s numbers pale in comparison to Bagwell’s. Bagwell has over 200 more HRs and over 500 more RBIs, and just a few ticks lower for career average. Having lived in NY when Mattingly played, as well as now having lived in Houston for all of Bagwell’s career, I think Bagwell was a much better first baseman. Yet Mattingly is almost certainly more well known. That said; Donnie baseball is soon to be more well known for being unable to manage a team. ;-)
Anyway, I won’t be surprised if Bagwell doesn’t get in this year, but I think he will eventually. The upside to that wait is that he may go in the same year as Biggio. I smell a road trip.
By blackcap on December 21, 2010 10:39 am - Reply
I likve ikn New Orleans and have been a fan of the Astros since the middle of the 60′s. One game has stayed in myh mind as we discusss Mr.Bagwe; and the Hall of Fame. IIt was the last game of the season, win and the Astros were still in the hunt for a playoff berth. Lose and they would go home. PllusAmnuher team had to win thast night to take the playoff berth away from the Astros. This game was a late game.
Anyway it the bottom of the ninth and the Astros are ahead by one run. Bases are loaded and i is two outs. The batter hits the ball to Jeff Bagwell at first base, who as he fields the ball sees that the pticher is watching the play. So Jeff fields the ball an trouws home to get the force out of the runner from third. That was a play that not many first basemen could make, even it they were told in advance the bass would be coming to them. Jeff Bagwell is a Hall f Famer. There is no justice in the world if he does not get in.
By j.francois.allain@gmail.com on December 21, 2010 5:11 pm - Reply
Hey Alyson, Jeff Fletcher here. Just wanted to clarify what I meant by the statement you quoted from my story. I meant to simply illustrate how I define the “no brainer” HOF guys, the guys who don’t require any research at all. Those are guys who transcend their hometown or their home fans. Among the players who have been on the ballot in my five years of voting, the only ones who really meet this standard are Rickey Henderson, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken. You didn’t need to live in San Diego or Baltimore to know those guys were HOFers.
I don’t think it’s any slap to Bagwelll that he’s not in the class of those type of players. Very few players are. Most Hall of Famers aren’t.
I would never apply the “If I have to think about it, he’s not a HOFer” standard that I’m afraid a few of my colleagues use. I think we’re supposed to think about it, with 90 percent of the candidates.
And when I thought about it, Bagwell was a HOFer.
By jfletcher@pacbell.net on December 22, 2010 1:45 pm - Reply
Hi Jeff, thanks very much for the message. I definitely understand where you’re coming from and that’s why I made sure to point out that this was in no way a criticism of you. When fans have inquired as to whether I think Bagwell will be inducted on the first ballot, I’ve said no, mainly for the reasons that you gave: most people just don’t think of him in that elite class as the other first balloters. Part of the issue, in my opinion, is that not many voters actually watched him play every day, which is the case for many players up for election. In Houston, we know that people DID come out just to see him play and that around here, he’s been considered Future Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell for many, many years. Had he played in a bigger market, I think he’d be in on the first ballot. I am glad that you reviewed his career and came to the conclusion that you did. I wish others would, but I sense not enough have. Again, thanks for the clarification and for being so diligent in your research as you filled out your ballot.
By alysonf on December 22, 2010 10:46 pm - Reply
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New Orleans braces for fallout from blackout
Updated: February 4, 2013 at 12:00 am • Published: February 4, 2013
Fans and members of the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers wait for power to return in the Superdome during an outage in the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Photo by Multimedia
NEW ORLEANS — A Super Bowl week that had gone so smoothly for the Big Easy suddenly turned bizarre when everyone was watching.
The lights went out on the biggest game of the year.
Just imagine the uproar if Baltimore had lost.
The outage, blamed on an unspecified "abnormality" in the Superdome's power system, was an embarrassment for New Orleans, which was hosting its first Super Bowl since 2002 and was eager to show off how it has been rebuilt since Hurricane Katrina.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu called Sunday night's outage "an unfortunate moment in what has been an otherwise shining Super Bowl week for the city of New Orleans."
He said he expected to receive "a full after-action report from all parties involved" in the coming days.
The Ravens had been cruising along with a 28-6 lead in the game when, without warning, the power to the Superdome suddenly shut down early in the third quarter, plunging parts of the 38-year-old stadium into darkness and leaving TV viewers with no football and no explanation why.
For 34 minutes, the players tried to stay loose, the fans milled about in darkened corridors, and stadium officials scrambled to figure out what went wrong. The Ravens barely hung on for a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, needing a goal-line stand in the closing minutes to preserve the championship.
"It really hurt us," Baltimore fullback Vonta Leach said. "We had lot of momentum."
There is sure to be some fallout for the city and the Superdome — especially since New Orleans plans to bid for the title game in 2018, in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of its founding.
Escalators stopped working and credit-card machines shut down, though auxiliary power kept the playing field and concourses from going totally dark.
"We sincerely apologize for the incident," Superdome spokesman Eric Eagan said.
Most fans seemed to take the outage in stride, even starting up the wave to pass the time.
"So we had to spend 30 minutes in the dark? That was just more time for fans to refill their drinks," said Amanda Black of Columbus, Miss.
The problem occurred shortly after Beyonce put on a halftime show that featured extravagant lighting and video effects.
A joint statement from Entergy New Orleans, which provides power to the stadium, and Superdome operator SMG shed some light on the chain of events, although they weren't sure about the source of the problem. It apparently started at the spot where Entergy feeds power into the stadium's lines.
"A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system," the statement said. "Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. ... Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality."
The FBI quickly ruled out terrorism, and the New Orleans Fire Department dismissed reports that a fire might have been the cause.
On the CBS broadcast, play-by-play announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms went silent. Sideline reporter Steve Tasker announced to viewers a "click of the lights" as the problem. Later, the halftime crew anchored by host James Brown returned to fill the time with football analysis.
"We lost all power up here at the press box level," Nantz said after power was restored. He and Simms were off the air for most of the outage.
The failure occurred shortly after Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 108-yard touchdown, the longest play in Super Bowl history and pushing the Ravens to a commanding lead. But when play resumed, the momentum totally changed.
The Niners scored two straight touchdowns and nearly pulled off a game-winning drive in the closing minutes. They had first down inside the Ravens 10, but Baltimore kept them out of the end zone to preserve the victory.
The blackout, it turned out, became more of a footnote than a spark to what would have been the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
"It just took us longer to lose," moaned San Francisco linebacker Ahmad Brooks.
No one could remember anything like this happening in the title game, but it wasn't unprecedented.
Just last season, the Niners endured two power outages during a Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Candlestick Park.
"I didn't know what was going on," San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson said. "I just tried to keep my legs warmed up."
The Ravens felt the delay turned what looked like a blowout into a close game. Safety Ed Reed said some of his teammates began to fret as the delay dragged on.
"The bad part is we started talking about it," he said. "Some of the guys were saying, 'They're trying to kill our momentum.' I was like, 'There's two teams on the field.' But once we started talking about it, it happened. We talked it up."
A few of the Ravens threw footballs around to stay loose. Others took a seat on the bench, or sprawled out on the turf.
"I was a little stiff when I got back out there," Baltimore running back Ray Rice conceded. "I'm just glad we were able to finish the game and be world champions."
Finally, the lights came back on throughout the dome and the game resumed.
"Let's go!" referee Jerome Boger barked to the teams.
Monique Richard, who is from the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, had tickets in the Superdome's upper deck.
"My exact words on the way over here were, 'I hope this goes off without a hitch,' because the city just looked so good, they were doing so well, the weather so good everything was kind of falling into place," she said. "Hopefully, everybody will be understanding."
New Orleans was once a regular in the Super Bowl rotation and hopes to regain that status. The Superdome has undergone $336 million in renovations since Katrina ripped its roof in 2005. Billions have been spent sprucing up downtown, the airport, French Quarter and other areas of the city in the past seven years.
Maybe they forgot one of the basics.
Joked Doug Cook, a Ravens fan from New Orleans: "They didn't pay the light bill."
AP Sports Writer Brett Martel and Associated Press writers Brian Schwaner and Kevin McGill in New Orleans contributed to this story.
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963
Check out this article on Colorado Springs Gazette: http://gazette.com/new-orleans-braces-for-fallout-from-blackout/article/150571
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Women's soccer adds six to rosterApril 23, 2009Misenheimer, NC � Head women�s soccer coach Elijah Denton announces six student-athletes have committed to Pfeiffer University to begin competing in the fall semester.� Two forwards, three midfielders and one defender have agreed to play for Pfeiffer. Sheena Regan, a forward from Chesapeake, VA, is a three-time first team All-Southeastern district honoree.� She was named a Chesapeake Scholar-Athlete her freshman through junior year.� In her junior year she was also named Player of the Year for the Southeastern district, first team All-Tidewater, and second team All-Eastern region.� Regan is a Lumbee Native American who participates in Indian River High School�s Multi-Cultural Committee, Technology Student Association, and Sigma.� She also lettered in field hockey and swimming. Regan plays for the Chesapeake United Soccer Club. Kaylie Lawing, a defender from Weston, FL, played on the Cypress Bay High School�s three year varsity soccer district champion team.� She played on Utah�s ODP team in 2002 and plays for the Plantation Eagles club team.� Lawing also played on her school�s four year varsity flag football district champion team.� She is a member of the Health Science Students of America, is an aide to Cypress Bay�s director of athletics, and will graduate with over 500 service hours. Lindsay McQuade, a midfielder from Uxbridge, MA, is a two-time Southern Worcester County League All-Star, a two-time central Massachusetts All-Star, and a two-time Worcester Telegram and Gazette Divisional Super Team member.� She was a member of the 2008 All-State team, the 2008 District Select Massachusetts State Champion team, and the 2008 Central Massachusetts High School District Champion team.� McQuade plays for the Fuller Hamlets in the Massachusetts MAPLE league and the Blackwatch Alliance in the Super-Y league.� She is a member of the Uxbridge High School Student Council and the Superintendant�s Advisory Council.� McQuade also participated in baseball, tennis, and softball at Uxbridge. Lexi Makris, a midfielder from Fredericksburg, VA, was the recipient of the Coaching Award for coaching a developmental soccer team.� She earned the Scholar-Athlete award at Riverbend High School.� She lettered in soccer as well as volleyball.� Makris is a member of the National Honor Society, Latin Honor Society, Latin Club, Young Life, FFA, and National Art Honor Society. She plays for the FASA Impact club team. Sam Brown, a forward from Baltimore, MD, is a member of the Long Reach High School girls varsity soccer team.� She holds the all-time school record for most goals scored.� Brown plays for the Freestate Sharks club team. Nikki Powell, a midfielder from Monroe, NC, was a 2009 captain on the Piedmont High School soccer team.� She was All-Conference South Piedmont in 2007 and 2008.� She is a Very Special Arts volunteer and AWANA leader.� Powell is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Medical Education Student Society, Health Occupations Students of America, and Interact Club. She also lettered in basketball.� Powell plays for the Mecklenburg Union Futbol Club.
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JSU transfer defensive back ready to help his new team
Aug 08, 2013 | 3473 views | | 19 | | JACKSONVILLE -- Jamill Lott is right where he wants to be. He can’t imagine being -- or wanting to be -- anywhere but on a football field following in his father’s footsteps.He was born when his father, James Lott, was playing safety at Clemson. He has pictures as a toddler being in the Chicago Bears’ locker room. His earliest football memory is as a 5-year-old playing Boys & Girls Club football for the Little Bears team coached by his grandfather.“I knew football was probably going to be my sport because I was brought up around it,” he said.Now, he’s in the Jacksonville State secondary, getting a second chance to play the game he was born to play, hoping to follow his father into the NFL.The newest JSU player arrived in coach Bill Clark’s first preseason camp Saturday and has made a quick and easy transition, although the faster tempo of practice and Alabama heat are a lot different than he was used to at Appalachian State.The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Lott in the three-man rotation with Junior Hough andRashod Byers where he could play either cornerback spot or nickel. He has one year of eligibility remaining.“First day was kind of rough, but it’s been pretty good the last few days,”Lott said. “It’s a new team so there are going to be different things you have to deal with, but as far as the surroundings and everything it’s kind of much like App.“App’s built to win. Jacksonville State’s built to win. Coaches want to win.Players want to win. It’s the same in both.”Lott probably would still be at App State if he didn’t get sideways with the coaching staff over what he called “some poor decisions” on his part and was ultimately bounced from the team in the spring.To his credit, with football off the table, he didn't let his studies slip and graduated last month with a 3.0-plus GPA in architecture.He found his way to JSU because of another Clemson connection. TheMountaineers receivers coach was a graduate assistant there with current Gamecocks linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Daric Riley.“I look at it as a blessing,” Lott said. “Most guys don’t get a second chance. I made some poor decisions at App, but as long as I could get out with my degree that was the main thing.“One thing (my father) tells me is always stay focused. He always told me to get my degree ... because if the League thing doesn’t work out because so many things can happen you need to have a solid base to fall back on. I’m very proud that when things got a little shaky I kept my goals straight-forward and was able to refocus and get back to doing what I needed to do and make a positive out of that negative.”His mere presence at JSU provides some insight into Clark’s philosophy on taking Division I transfers.Not one easily given to handing out second chances, Clark got a lot of assurances from the Appalachian State coaches about Lott, but still did his own due diligence before bringing the player into his first JSU team.“I’m not telling you I will never take a guy who’s had an issue,” Clark said. “I’m saying I’ll ... know who this is before I go put him with 94 other guys. It’s definitely worth getting this guy in here.”There’s no disputing Lott’s ability as a player. He played 10 games as a full-time defensive back last year for the Mountaineers and recorded 39 tackles and two interceptions.He can play all four secondary positions and, under the watchful eye of his dad, who is now defensive coordinator at Johnson C. Smith, has developed the skill set and body type to be appealing to the next level."He's come in and looks good," Clark said. "I like his demeanor. He's not a big talker -- he just gets out there and gets the job done. Getting him is a huge plus for us."Lott knows he has one last shot to make an impression. He wants to make it a good one.“I feel like I had a pretty good season last year to get my name out there,” he said. “If I build on that this season and work to perfect my craft I can be an asset to Jacksonville State and get a lot of exposure here. I feel like they will push me and steer me in the direction I need to go.“I have aspirations to go to the NFL. I feel like if I do everything I need to do here and stay focused, then everything else will take care of itself.”Al Muskewitz covers Jacksonville State sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3577.
JSU notebook: Grass would like to have his team on grass
JSU football: With spring winding down, team attitude impresses Grass
JSU football: Gamecocks cap spring with game they hope has big offense
JSU baseball: Lost opportunities lead to home loss to Samford
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The Sydney Signing Situation
Everything is moving along towards tomorrow night's Sydney Opera House gig. There were about 100 seats (out of about 2000) left the last time I checked, and if you're thinking of coming tomorrow night you should grab a ticket fast.Go to http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/neil_gaiman.aspxThe Opera House had wanted a signing, but hadn't really thought through the logistics of 2000 people wanting their things scribbled on, even if only half of them wanted something signed, or the keeping on of Opera House staff to run the signing, or keeping spaces open for hours while a thousand people lined up and shuffled forward, and when they realised what was involved they very sensibly decided that no, they wouldn't have a signing on Saturday night.So I went to the Kinokuniya bookshop yesterday afternoon after the Triple J interview with The Doctor (it's up at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/thedoctor/) and I signed 2000 books by me. Everything they had. EVERYTHING. So although there will not be a signing, anyone coming on Saturday night can get a signed book. Probably anyone in Sydney who wants anything signed by me next week will just have to go into Kinokuniya and take your choice.This is about 3/4 of them, when I was done (they'd already wheeled some of them away).
I don't think it's a record but yes my hand hurt, sydney, Sydney Opera House
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Thursday, 05 December 2013 15:56 Former Mizzou football players suing NCAA over head injuries ST. LOUIS (AP) - Two former Missouri football players are suing the NCAA in federal court over head injuries they suffered decades ago, joining a cascade of recent lawsuits against college sports' governing body related to traumatic brain injuries.
Tony Van Zant and Sharron Washington filed the suit Tuesday. Both played for Missouri from 1987 to 1991. Van Zant is now running backs coach at Division II Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
Both say they suffer headaches, depression and other ailments. The lawsuit seeks medical monitoring and testing for former college players with similar head injuries and didn't advance to the NFL.
Similar lawsuits have been filed in recent months in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota and Tennessee by ex-players from schools such as Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Oregon and Vanderbilt.
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from Katie Strang of ESPN,
Wednesday's session between the sides -- the first since talks broke down last Thursday -- involved a federal mediator and lasted approximately six hours. Daly, though, said the sides were never in the same room.
Fehr wouldn't divulge details of the meeting, but he did not paint an optimistic picture.
"All I am going to say is there wasn't any change in position," Fehr said.
Several sources told ESPNNewYork.com that, to the NHLPA's understanding, the league's stance has not changed since last Thursday and that it maintains a "take-it-or-leave-it" position.
"That's not much of a decision," one player told ESPNNewYork.com, indicating the lack of progress from the day's session.
Daly told ESPNNewYork.com via email that the league never put its last offer on the table, although the mediator may have presented the union with a "what-if" scenario should it resurrect its proposal.
Regardless, it is believed that several players were upset at what they felt was the league's unwillingness to budge on the offer proposed last week, especially given the travel considerations made to participate in Wednesday's discussions. Eleven players attended the meeting, several of whom flew in to participate.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHLPA, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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hide Anthony set to take scoring title
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 12:14 p.m. CDT
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony reacts after hitting a three-point shot against the Indiana Pacers in the second half of their NBA b NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony was poised to clinch the National Basketball Association (NBA) scoring title after Kevin Durant announced he was not playing in Wednesday's final game of the regular season.
Durant needed to score at least 70 points in Oklahoma Thunder's last game against the Milwaukee Bucks but said he was taking a break before the playoffs start this weekend.
"SITTING OUT TONIGHT'S GAME, if you disappointed I didn't try to go for the scoring title, oh well!!" he posted on his Instagram page.
Durant won the scoring title each of the past three seasons and Oklahoma have already clinched the number one seed in the Western Conference for the NBA playoffs.
His withdrawal meant Anthony, who is also missing his team's last game against Atlanta on Wednesday, would secure the title for the first time, with a season average of 28.2 points per game.
The 28-year-old went on a scoring spree in the latter part of the season, including a career-high tying 50-point haul against the Miami Heat two weeks ago.
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and LeBron James of Miami were ranked the third and fourth top scorers going into Wednesday's final round of regular season games.
(Reporting by Julian Linden; editing by Simon Evans)
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Local News Opinion Blogs Sports Maui Scene Vac Rental Ads Jobs Classifieds Contacts Extras TV CU National Sports
Tokyo 2020 Games shot in the arm for aging nation
Save | TOKYO (AP) — A half-century after the 1964 Tokyo games heralded Japan's reemergence from destruction and defeat in World War II, the city's triumphant bid to host the 2020 games is giving this aging nation a chance to revive both its sagging spirits and its stagnating economy. "In most competitions, if you don't win a gold medal, you can also win maybe a bronze one," Tokyo Gov. Naoki Inose told reporters in Buenos Aires after the International Olympic Committee chose his city to host the 2020 summer games. "In this battle, there was only the gold." Japan is counting on the games to boost both the economy and morale. Already, Olympics hopes have lifted share prices in construction, real estate and tourism-related companies. The news from over the weekend helped boost Tokyo's Nikkei 225 share benchmark by 2.2 percent by midmorning Monday. Hundreds of Japanese athletes and officials gathered downtown for the early morning announcement shouted "Banzai!" jumping up and down and hugging in unusually demonstrative reactions to the announcement the International Olympic Committee had opted for Tokyo's guarantees of safety and stability, despite the festering nuclear crisis in its northeast. Japan's capital defeated Istanbul in the final round of voting at the International Olympic Committee meeting in Buenos Aires, after Madrid was eliminated in the first round. The decision suggests IOC members were convinced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's reassurances that radiation leaks from the nuclear plant wrecked in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster pose no threat to Tokyo or the games. The 1964 games were relatively bare bones by today's standards. "There were no facilities, no food to eat; no barbells; no place to practice. That was what it was like," said Yoshinobu Miyake, a featherweight weightlifting gold medalist at the 1964 games who recalls walking the streets of Tokyo with a crooked barbell in hand, looking for a place to practice. "But still, we had to win — so it was a country that managed to go on with just a hungry spirit, a Japanese spirit," he said. To prepare for the 1964 games, Japan rushed to build expressways and introduced its first high-speed "Shinkansen" bullet trains. The games won it worldwide recognition for its growing affluence and economic power, and were a turning point for the country's athletics, as it captured 16 golds, 29 medals in total, trailing only the United States and Soviet Union. This time, many here consider the Olympics a symbol of recovery both from economic stagnation and from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 19,000 people dead or missing on Japan's northeast coast. "From here on, things will get better," said Yoko Kurahashi, 65, whose high school was just across the street from Tokyo's Metropolitan Gymnasium, the site for the 1964 games gymnastics and water polo competitions. "This will help invigorate us," Kurohashi said as she stood outside Tokyo city hall with her 94-year-old mother-in-law watching hundreds of other Tokyo residents celebrating with gold streamers and balloons. Two decades after its economic ascent was cut short by the bursting of its financial bubble, its population shrinking and rapidly aging, Japan can use all the help it can get, said Yukio Takahashi, who was jubilant as he took his morning walk with his wife in a suburban park that was a main 1964 Olympic venue. "This will help us to not lose confidence," Takahashi said. "It gives us a goal, something to strive for." Surveys showed 70 percent of Tokyoites favored the bid. Hosting the 2020 games could yield positive economic effects of over 4 trillion yen ($40.4 billion) and create more than 150,000 jobs, according to some estimates, more than half of it new demand for construction, sales of Olympics-related goods and purchases of new televisions and other appliances. Hosting the Olympics offers a strong excuse for pork-barrel-style construction projects. In reality, greater Tokyo, home to 35 million people, is facing a major overhaul of its aging infrastructure anyway, nowhere more so than in crumbling sports venues due to be refurbished for the 2020 Games. The government hopes to boost visits by foreign tourists to 30 million a year by then, from the 8.36 million who came to Japan last year. Improving consumer confidence is vital for the success of Abe's economic recovery strategy, which hinges on stimulating inflation by pumping more money into the economy, keeping interest rates near zero and improving Japan's competitiveness through a wide range of reforms. Whether the Olympics, seven years away, would bring the sort of boost needed right now remains to be seen. Unless Japanese companies, long wary of betting on a shrinking domestic market, step up investments and raise wages, price hikes are more likely to discourage rather than spur more spending in the long run. The ultimate economic impact from holding the games varies from city to city. The 2008 games were a strong plus for Beijing, yielding an impressive new airport, subway lines and other welcome infrastructure. London's 2012 games likewise were a boost for the British economy. But the Bird's Nest stadium, the centerpiece of the 2008 games, stands neglected as a $500 million souvenir. In Athens, many of the venues from the 2004 Olympics are desolate and weed-infested, and the Greek economy is in crisis. Although Japan has a national debt amounting to twice the size of its economy, Tokyo itself has a $4.5 billion "reserve fund" for infrastructure projects for the games. Japan's status as the world's third-biggest economy and its strong links to Olympic sponsors were additional strengths. The huge Asian market was another draw for the IOC. Such assets outweighed concerns over leaks of radioactive water from the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant. But they also will add to pressures on Tokyo to resolve the crisis. "We have made promises," Abe said after the decision. "Now we have a responsibility to meet those expectations." __ Associated Press writer Emily Wang contributed to this report. Save | Subscribe to The Maui News Kahului Weather Forecast, HI
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4 Reasons The Lions Will Make The Playoffs
This story originally published on RoarDigest.com
Joique Bell (USPW/Rob Foldy)
By Mike Mady
Lions InsiderPosted Nov 7, 2012
"The Lions are one of only two teams in the National Football League ranked in the top seven on both sides of the ball." Lions' insider Mike Mady breaks down why the Lions will make the playoffs in 2012.
The Detroit Lions have completed eight of 16 regular season games with a mediocre 4-4 record.
Currently residing in the basement of the NFC North with a 0-2 divisional record, the season’s first half would not be considered successful for the Lions.
Ultimately, that may be true but the situation they face heading into the back end of their season may not be all so grim. Here’s a look at four reasons why the Lions will make the playoffs despite the current obstacles that they face.
1. A Crowded and Cannibalizing NFC
If the playoffs were to start today, the NFC Wildcard teams would be the Green Bay Packers (6-3) and the Seattle Seahawks (5-4).
The Minnesota Vikings (5-4) are the first team that fall outside of the NFC playoff picture, with the Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) promptly behind.
The Lions currently have an edge over the Buccaneers due to a better conference record. And with their week 8 victory, the Lions also hold a tiebreaker over the Seahawks and have an opportunity to leapfrog both Seattle and Minnesota with a win this weekend coupled with a Seattle loss. Entering the year it appeared as if 10-6 would be the prerequisite record for a playoff berth in the NFC but, as teams continue to beat each other, 9-7 should be enough.
The Lions are in the thick of the playoff race within this competitive conference, with full control over their own destiny.
2. Home Field Advantage
The Lions schedule down the stretch is not to be confused with an easy one. The team will play seven of eight games against opponents that currently own winning records, starting this week at Minnesota.
With that said, there is one huge advantage within the schedule for the Lions. After this week’s contest, they play three consecutive home games with five of the last seven on home turf. If the Lions can protect their home field, they should have no problem securing a playoff spot. 3. Pressure Performers
If the Lions have demonstrated anything this season it is the fact that they can perform when faced with pressure and adversity.
During the first eight games of 2012, the Lions averaged roughly 11 points during the game’s first three quarters, a number they exceed in the final quarter alone (12).
The Lions fourth-quarter scoring is tops in the league and is a testament to the team’s ability to perform when backed against a wall.
The final two games – wins against the Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars – are further evidence as both contests were crucial in keeping the team in playoff contention. The Lions prevailed.
As the playoff picture begins to take more form, the value of each game will increase and the Lions have shown an ability to respond to pressure.
4. Talent
The last reason why the team will make it to the post season is also the most fundamental property when assessing playoff chances: the quality of the club.
Despite the on-the-field shortcomings that have presented themselves early in the season, the Lions are a competitive team capable of competing with any opponent. Besides the talented duo of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, even the backfield duo of Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell has been encouraging.
Currently ranked No. 2 in offense and No. 7 in defense, the Lions are one of only two teams in the National Football League ranked in the top seven on both sides of the ball.
The opposition is altering its game plans on both sides of the ball to adjust to the talent in Detroit. From playing deep Cover-Two on defense to getting rid of the ball quickly on offense, teams are acknowledging the skills on the Lions roster and attempt to circumvent them.
The biggest detractor to the Lions success this season has been self-inflicted wounds through correctable errors. There isn’t a team on the schedule –- despite contests against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons, one-loss Houston Texans, the Packers (twice) and Bears –- that a talented Detroit roster cannot compete with. Related Stories
Good, Bad and Ugly: Lions 31, Jags 14
-by RoarDigest.com Nov 5, 2012
Lions Run Over Jacksonville, 31-14
Lions: Johnson Did Not Suffer Nerve Damage
Football > Detroit
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Which NFL Team Can Go Worst-To-First In 2014?
5 Available Free Agents Still Within the New England Patriots' Reach Houston Texans Roundup (4/20)
2014 NBA Playoffs TV schedule for Easter Sunday
Game Analysis New England Patriots Rundown: J.J. Watt and Tim Tebow
By Joe Soriano - Jan 11th, 2013 at 10:20 am
Previous Next On Musket Fire, I will be doing a new feature that might be a daily thing where I take a look at a few links of note from around the web relating to the New England Patriots, an opponent, or the AFC East as a whole and giving my take on that article. The content used will be tweets, posts, and possibly videos from the day before and the morning of the “Quick-Hit” piece. If anyone has a catchy nickname that they would like to suggest, then I would love to hear from you.
1. Nick Scurfield tweeted that Wade Phillips said, ”He’s had the absolute best year any defensive lineman has ever had”, with regards to J.J. Watt‘s ridiculous 2012 season. He recorded 23 sacks, 45 quarterback hits, 41 tackles for loss, and received a grade over 100 (!) from the Pro Football Focus. That’s a ridiculous season indeed, and those numbers are even more impressive when you take into account the fact that he is an interior defensive lineman as a 4-3 DE. That’s just insane.
2. Owen Daniels was once again limited in practice with a minor shoulder injury that he suffered in last week’s big game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Daniels was on a tear, but and he will need to carry that momentum against the New England Patriots. The last time these two teams played, Daniels was pretty much shut down. He will most likely be playing on Sunday, and Garrett Graham (who didn’t play in the first Patriots-Texans meeting) will also play at the tight end position. Alan Ball and Mike Newton missed the Week 14 blowout loss, but those two Texans are also expected to play despite being limited in practice.
3. I saw this piece by a writer on Football Nation that gives an argument for the New England Patriots signing Tim Tebow in the offseason. He brings up the point that Josh McDaniels drafted him for the Denver Broncos, but I could never see this happening. Ever. I’m not going to go as far to say that it’s crazy to suggest it because the piece had some well-reasoned arguments, but I completely disagree with the Pats ever needing or finding a use for Tebow. Let’s just stick with Tom Brady (and Ryan Mallett), shall we?
4. So everyone selected the New England Patriots over the Houston Texans in ESPN Boston’s picks piece. Well, everyone except insider Adam Schefter, and the site also notes that he went 4-0 last week. That’s not the most impressive feat in the world, however, because all the favorites won in the Wild Card round. I’m sure he’ll be getting a notch in the loss column.
5. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald wrote that all the injury news is the same as usual, and it’s no surprise since it’s the Patriots. Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker, and Brandon Lloyd were all limited practice, just as they have been all season. It feels great to be a Pats fan, because Bill Belichick knows better than anyone that rest is more important for a star player than a few more reps at this stage.
Topics: Bill Belichick, Houston Texans, J.J. Watt, New England Patriots, Owen Daniels, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady
Hmmm…except Brady can’t play forever, & we don’t know what Mallett is. The thought I think is, maybe trade Mallett to a QB-needy team, & Tebow becomes the Steve Young to Joe Montana. Tebow has done much better, passer rating-wise through his 1st 16 starts, than a lot of good passers, & much better than most think (ESP. in the 4th quarter, when John Foxy left him be). Tebow + Belichick + McDaniels in 2015 is a fascinating prospect.
http://www.musketfire.com/ Joe Soriano
2015? I think Brady can hold out longer than then. At least, I hope so haha. Please don’t lump every QB who will start after a legend as the next Steve Young. I know you are just making a simple statement, but it’s just one of my pet peeves.
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More » Kadri Turning Over A New Leaf
March 14, 2013 by TMO By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the real surprises in the early going of the 2013 National Hockey League season. While they may not be title contenders, it’s pretty clear that they’ll be a playoff team for the first time in almost a decade, as they currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. There are many factors playing into the early success of the Leafs. One of the largest is the emergence of long time prospect Nazem Kadri. He’s been fantastic in his first true action at the NHL level.
Kadri was the seventh overall selection by the Maple Leafs in 2009 NHL Draft of amateur talent. Hailing from nearby London, Ontario, Kadri has shouldered a lot of pressure to succeed as a top prospect for one of the NHL’s glamour franchises. And the Lebanese-Canadian had thus far seemed to struggle under the pressure, largely being relegated to Toronto’s top minor league for much of the last three seasons.
However, Kadri now appears to be worth the wait for the Maple Leafs. He’s been an offensive force in Toronto this year, particularly of late. In 51 combined games prior to this year, which spans over three parts of three seasons, Kadri had just 19 points. In 26 games this year, he’s already at 25 points, with a plus-14 to go along with it. Prior to this past weekend, Kadri had points in seven consecutive games. In those seven games, he had 11 points. And he has accompanied that with solid defensive play as well.
It has taken Kadri much longer than he and Maple Leafs brass have liked to reach, and stick with, the Maple Leafs. But if his play this season is any indication, he will indeed prove his pedigree. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it up as these games get more physically intense down the stretch. But at least it appears that Kadri will have a solid opportunity to prove himself at the highest level.
Nazem Kadri Back in NHL, Scores First Goal
Nazem Kadri Ready for the NHL
Nazem Kadri Begins Training Camp
Nazem Kadri Out 3-4 Weeks
Nazem Kadri Unable to Make the Mapleleafs
Kadri Finally Making His Mark on Leafs
Leaf in His Hair
Pakistan is Turning into Another Afghanistan
Filed Under: *The Muslim Observer, 15-12, Culture, Entertainment, MMN News Services, MMNS, Sports, Volume 15Tagged: Comments
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Bruins' all-time leading hitter hopes success leads to major league call
Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 10:54pm By
Last June, Derek Hamblen cemented his Belmont legacy when he left as the school’s all-time hits leader.
Bruins coach Dave Jarvis knew the record of 290 hits might not last long, but he wasn’t positive that Dylan Craig would take over at the top. He feared Craig wouldn’t have that opportunity.
“To be quite honest with you, I wasn’t certain that Dylan would be back this year because of the success he has had and the numbers he’s put up,” Jarvis said. “The fact he is here is a testament to him, his character, his resolve to make sure that education is a high priority for him and that he’s going to get a degree.”
Working toward a chemistry degree and just days after his junior season ended, Craig went undrafted in 2011. His dedication in the classroom might have steered possible MLB suitors away, Jarvis said.
One year later, after surpassing the hits record and having led the Bruins to their second straight NCAA Regional, Craig hopes his name will be called sometime during the three-day MLB draft, which begins Monday.
Jarvis believes Craig deserves to be selected. He feels the same about starting pitchers Matt Hamann, a senior, and junior Chase Brookshire, but there are no guarantees.
Last year, no one from Belmont was drafted. Hamblen and first baseman Nate Woods did professional deals but neither is still playing.
Shortstop Packy Elkins, taken by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 37th round in 2010, was the last Belmont player to be drafted,
“I feel that the draft is a very fickle thing,” Jarvis, who has had nine players picked since 2001, said. “You never know what’s going to happen and what isn’t going to happen. Scouts are going to find good players wherever they’re at.”
After four years at Belmont, Craig fits that description.
He owns the school record for most hits in a season with 92, set in 2009 when he was named the Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year and earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors. Heading into this past weekend’s NCAA Regional at LSU, the left-handed hitter was first in career hits (327), triples (23) and at-bats (950). He also ranked second behind Hamblen in runs scored (193).
In the Atlantic Sun Conference record books, his 23 triples topped the list, and he was fourth in hits and at-bats.
“I do remember choosing a school that I felt I could help make a difference and help the team the best I could. That really was my main goal,” Craig said. “It is cool to think about [the records]. It has taken a while, but it’s cool to think I’ve come that far. It’s nice to have the ability to potentially break some records.”
Equipped with speed and a 6-foot, 190-pound frame, he is nearly flawless in the outfield. The center fielder has committed just 11 career errors, with zero in 2011 and just one this past spring.
A two-time all-state selection out of Baylor School in Chattanooga, he immediately started as a freshman and has been primarily in the top third of the lineup every day since. Prior to this past weekend, he had started in all 236 games with a .386 career batting average. That ranks third in school history and is the best mark since Belmont moved to the NCAA in 1997.
“I couldn’t be happier for him, because his work ethic and attitude is so good,” Jarvis said. “He is obviously a very talented young man. When you mix the combination of those three things together with his God-given abilities you have that type of result where he’s our all-time hits leader.”
Craig, who is from Signal Mountain, a suburb of Chattanooga, plans to graduate in December. He could have taken a couple more classes last spring and walked last month. But with the responsibilities of baseball, he chose a lighter class load. He plans to finish the rest of his courses online.
He wants his degree to lead to a career in a laboratory. Eventually.
“My first goal is to keep playing baseball,” Craig said. “I’ve looked at other job opportunities with chemistry. They appeal to me, but this sport is always going to be my No. 1 passion.” Delicious
Tagged: all-time leading hitter | Belmont Bruins | Chase Brookshire | college baseball | Dylan Craig | Major League Baseball | Matt Hamaan | NCAA Regional title | St. Louis Cardinals
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College Basketball Picks > College Basketball Articles > No. 6 Arizona State Sun Devils vs. No. 11 Temple Owls
No. 6 Arizona State Sun Devils vs. No. 11 Temple Owls
NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
No. 6 Arizona State Sun Devils (24-9) -5.5 vs. No. 11 Temple Owls (22-11) +5.5
Friday, 2:45PM Eastern
Betus.com betting line – Arizona State -5.5
The Temple Owls scored their second straight Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship in exciting fashion last Saturday taking down Duquesne 69-64. The win guaranteed the Owls an NCAA Tournament bid ultimately resulting in their number 11 seed they will enter the tournament carrying. Arizona State nearly came up big in the Pac-10 Tournament dropping the Championship game by only 3 points to the USC Trojans. The game will highlight some interesting one on one match-ups on the floor. Both teams are led by stellar guards that can change the entire complexion of the game on any given night. However, the guard that will shine through on Friday afternoon has yet to be determined as we wait to find out which team will come out of the first round with a solid victory.
Temple will head into the game as the slight underdogs with a balanced team who can play well on both ends of the court. The Owls are led by the play of senior guard Dionte Christmas. Christmas got very hot in the Owls Championship game last Saturday knocking down one point shy of a season high that equaled 29 points for the game. Christmas has averaged 19 points per game on the season and will go face to face with the Arizona State standout guard James Harden. The Owls have faired well on the boards this season and have also held opponents to shoot a low 40% from the field. Temple will try to confuse the Sun Devils with some different defensive looks and look for Christmas and others to earn the Owls first NCAA Tournament win in nearly 10 years.
Arizona State had lost 3 of their last 4 games to close out the regular season. However, the Sun Devils made a strong showing in the Pac-10 Tournament that nearly resulted in a Championship. The Sun Devils sophomore guard James Harden has been the difference maker all season averaging 20.8 points per game. Harden played extremely well through the conference games and will look to make an equally big impact in the NCAA Tournament for the Sun Devils. Opposed to the scorers for Arizona State, their defense could actually be the biggest difference in the game. Arizona State sports one of the top 25 scoring defenses in the country holding teams to only 60 points per game. Add to the fact that Temple has struggled at times shooting the ball this season and the Sun Devils could match up well in this opening round game.
The match-up between the two guards will be very intriguing as we wait to see who will make the biggest impact for their team. Also, Arizona State’s James Pendergraph and Temple’s Lavoy Allen will have their own interesting battle inside the paint that should be fun to watch as well which could determine the team that gets the most second chance opportunities.
Betting Trends…
Temple is 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 outings. The Owls have also reached the under total in 4 of those last 5 games as well. Arizona State is 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games while reaching the over in 4 of their last 5 games.
Pick – Sun Devils and the points. Take ASU -5.5
Jay Horne
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NHL playoffs: Crosby too much for Senators as Pengiuns take Game 2
Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Playoff recaps, Playoffs, Sidney Crosby | Comments Sidney Crosby scored a hat trick in 21 minutes against the Sens on Friday night. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
The Ottawa Senators couldn’t beat the Pittsburgh Penguins even when they managed to keep Sidney Crosby off the score sheet in Game 1. So you can imagine how well things went when Sid went off for a hat trick in Game 2.
Crosby’s three-goal game, his first in more than two years, paced Pitsburgh to a 4-3 win over the Senators Friday night. The Pens now own a 2-0 lead with the series heading back to Ottawa for Game 3 on Sunday.
This was the Kid at his best. Crosby’s first goal came on a quick burst up the wall that left Erik Karlsson in his tracks before he wristed one by Craig Anderson just 3:16 in. His second came on a vicious snapper that beat a baffled Anderson to the short side 13 minutes later. He completed the trick 1:15 into the second, timing his release to take advantage of a moving screen out front before blasting one over the keeper’s shoulder from the top of the circle.
That was it for Anderson, who was pulled for the first time this season. And really, that was it for the Senators as well. Sure, some sloppy play from goaltender Tomas Vokoun kept them in the game, but Crosby’s star turn was too much for Ottawa to overcome.
“He’s done a lot for us, but it was his best, and it was his best early on,” said Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma.
The Sens now face the challenge of having to win four of the next five games. They’d better find a boost in returning home for the next two — and possibly the return of Jason Spezza as well — because there wasn’t much positive to pull out of this one.
Here are some quick observations from Game 2:
• There’s no particular shame in being made to look like a minor leaguer by Crosby. Given a chance, Sid will do that to everybody eventually. But Karlsson’s performance tonight wasn’t just about getting schooled by Sid on his first two goals. He just looked … off. “There’s no doubt he’s fighting it a bit,” Chris Phillips said of his teammate after tonight’s game.
Judging by a noticeable decrease in his speed and maneuverability, it’s clear there’s a physical issue here. Has he aggravated his pre-existing Achilles issue? Is it something new? Hard to say, but it’s clear he quickly lost the trust of coach Paul MacLean. Karlsson played just 15:37 tonight, by far a season low for a player who averaged 27:09 in regular season and 25:14 in the playoffs. And as TSN’s The Stats Guy tweeted, Karlsson averaged just 44 seconds a shift, compared to 64 seconds in the first round. “He wasn’t one of our best players,” MacLean said. “He didn’t play well.”
The Sens proved over the course of the season that they could win without Karlsson. If there is an underlying physical problem here, they might be better off–both for the short and long term–if they try to do it again in Game 3.
• I lost count how many times the Penguins used their speed to get a step on Ottawa’s defense with a quick burst in the early going. It’s an underrated element of their game, but they used it to full advantage to create chances. Still, they might have been more effective when they slowed the game down in the third, using the extra time to make better puck decisions that limited Ottawa’s ability to strike back. Credit Bylsma for reining the horses in and getting them to focus on a more conservative approach with the game on the line.
• Evgeni Malkin had to settle for a single assist tonight — good enough to keep his eight-game point streak alive — but it might have been his best overall game in the postseason. He was active in all three zones, creating several high-end offensive chances and committing to his defensive responsibilities. An easy performance to overlook next to what Crosby did, but this was exactly the sort of game that the Pens will need from Malkin as the stakes rise.
• The consensus coming into the series was that while Vokoun would start, Marc-Andre Fleury would work his way back between the pipes at some point. Tonight may have opened the door to Fleury’s return from exile. The only reason this game was close was because of Vokoun, who turned every Ottawa chance into an advernture. Turris’ goal was a blown angle, completely inexcusable. Greening’s goal was a nice effort from the Ottawa forward, but stoppable. And with the game in hand, he let the Sens back in by coming out too far to challenge a point bid, then got caught flailing around as Pageau banged in the loose puck to make it 4-3.
At this point, seeing Vokoun at the other end gives the Senators hope (Greening suggested as much in a between-periods interview with Hockey Night In Canada when he revealed that Ottawa didn’t consider him to be a No. 1 goalie and the team was trying to take advantage of him). Don’t be surprised to see a change for Game 3.
• I took a lot of grief for suggesting in my series preview that Anderson had the potential to lead the Sens to a sweep over Pittsburgh if he was at the top of his game. Safe to say we’ve haven’t seen anything close to his best so far. If anything, it looks like the Pens are in his head, instead of the other way around.
Anderson was pulled just 1:15 into the second period after blowing his angles on Crosby’s first two goals, and then reacting slowly to the third. The final nail wasn’t entirely his fault — Phillips makes a better door than a window, as they say — but by that point the rattled Sens needed a shake-up as much as anything. In came Robin Lehner, who allowed Morrow’s second-period deflection, then made a number of sensational saves to keep Ottawa in the game, none better than his stop on Jarome Iginla’s partial breakaway bid. He took the hard-luck loss, but this was one of those milestones along the way to eventually assuming the No. 1 job. He acquitted himself well.
• So, who does Ottawa start in Game 3? The goalie who was in the MVP mix in the regular season and who dominated the Montreal series, or the one who looked more than capable in relief tonight? Unless there’s something physically wrong with Anderson, he has to be the guy. He’s earned that right.
• If anyone happens to see Milan Michalek, tell him he’s missing a heck of a series.
JohnG1 5pts
Why would Bylsma go back to Fleury up 2-0? If they had lost the game, that would have been one thing. But they won. So he's had three really good games and one bad one. Fleury had one really good games and three bad ones. As long as the Penguins keep winning, Bylsma would have to be insane to sit him in favor of Fleury. If Vokoun plays poorly in Game 3, and the Penguins lose, we can talk. But until then, Fleury sits. Period.
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Higher and higher Bowmen are playing their game Tigers shine under sunny skies Timberwolves, Tigers have fun in the sun Bowmen get it going against Tigard City, union reach new contract after mediation
Created on Thursday, 24 October 2013 01:00 | Written by Geoff Pursinger | Tweet
New contract will make employees pay 10 percent of health insurance. The city of Tigard and its employee union have reached an agreement, after entering mediation earlier this year. Members of Service Employees International Union Local 503/Oregon Public Employees Union Local 199 have been working without a contract for months, as the two sides have fought over health insurance premiums. The city asked union members to pay for 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance and to make up the difference if the cost of healthcare should rise more than 5 percent. Union members balked, instead asking that employees pay 5 percent of their health insurance, saying that a 10 percent cost was too much to bear for a workforce that has been slashed by pay cuts, and had its hours reduced. Employees held rallies outside City Hall and the Tigard Public Library as negotiations went on, to protest what they saw as months of stagnation on the part of the city. The two sides went into mediation in August. The new three-year contract will give city officials most of what they asked for. City employees will pay 10 percent of their health insurance, and a five percent annual cap will be placed on increases to the citys health insurance contribution. But the city also agreed to modest subsidies to employee premiums for the first two years. In the third year, the subsidy is will remain for employees making less than $3,200 per month. Employees will also receive a 2.1 percent cost of living adjustment, retroactive to Sept. 1. According to City Manager Marty Wine, a committee comprised of employees and city management will evaluate health plan options to help control future costs. The union represents 107 workers in a variety of jobs, including in the Tigard Public Library, the Public Works department and bill collection. The contract has been ratified by union members. The City Council is expected to adopt the contract in November. View the discussion thread.
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Recap: Behind The Bench With John Tortorella and Mike Keenan
From 3/15/12
On keeping the focus and not paying attention to distractions, Tortorella said “we just try to block it out. We have talked about not paying attention to the standings. It has been a different year this year, but different in a good way”
“The room is beginning to self sustain.” Tortorella says that you can’t keep preaching the same things because you can lose the players. He thinks that it is disrespectful to the players and they need to take the onus
Torts talks about how the team needs to stay together and grow together at this time of year.
Keenan talks about how teams are going to measure themselves against the Rangers.
On Brandon Dubinsky getting benched against Carolina a few weeks ago, Tortorella said that he knew right away that Dubi was done for the night. “he is going to pay the price and a coach is really anxious to see how he responds. I think he has responded tremendously since then.” Torts says that they haven’t talked about the incident. Torts and Keenan say that players need to deal with their mistakes and that they don’t know if they will get back on the ice
Keenan tells a story of how he benched Chris Chelios after one shift and then Chelios apologized to his teammates and Keenan after the game for not being ready to play.
Mike Rupp is profiled and says that he likes to hold onto the puck in the offensive zone and likes to finish his hits.
Tortorella says that he wants more ice time for Rupp but that he has done a great job cultivating the locker room.
On Rupp, Torts adds that he has mentored a lot of players in regards to how to be a pro. He says that it has been hard for him on the ice this season and that his knee may still be bugging him a little bit.
Torts says that Rupper has helped him on the bench in to calm him down. Rupp will make comments facing the ice but that are meant for Torts.
Torts says that one of his weaknesses is that he gets too involved emotionally and it can hurt the team.
Keenan and Tortorella say that they know when players are talking to them even if they aren’t looking at them.
Torts says that you can’t hold grudges against players during the game, “you hammer it out as men and then you move on. Those types of situations bring you closer because you go through them all year long”
Brian Boyle was mic’d up and kept breaking his sticks during practice
Torts says that everything now is about keeping the team fresh
Torts diagrams many times how the Rangers try to limit Ilya Kovalchuk;s time and space
“We have cut back on a lot of the tape, We feel that the players understand how we have to play”
“we have a strong belief that we like the way we play and we are not looking to make a lot of adjustments with that. Don’t lose your foundation”
On getting stressed, Torts says that you can’t be out of your mind and that you are running your hockey club. He says that you need to be solid in how you approach your team everyday and that the stress level needs to be hidden from the players
On the Broadway Hat, Torts says that he will never get it and that he is never in the room when it happens. He calls it ridiculous looking and that it belongs with them and it’s the only time that the music is shut off in the locker room
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Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius to run at OlympicsAssociated Press | July 4, 2012 | Last Updated: Jul 18 1:12 PM ETMore from Associated Press
Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius to run at OlympicsJOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Never write Oscar Pistorius off.
The “Blade Runner” will be competing in the London Olympics in his favoured 400 metres after all.
The double-amputee runner from South Africa has spent almost all his life without lower legs and his entire track career proving he’s good enough to compete with the best. He now has the chance to do just that.
The 25-year-old Pistorius will be running at the world’s greatest sports event in London in both the individual 400 and the 4×400 relay — the first amputee track athlete to compete at any games.
“Today is truly one of the proudest days of my life,” Pistorius said.
RelatedUsain Bolt has plenty to work on ahead of London OlympicsAllyson Felix gets 100m Olympic spot after Jeneba Tarmoh withdraws from runoff
While his selection for the relay team was likely, it was only a surprise last-minute turnaround by South African sports officials on Wednesday that gave Pistorius the chance to run in his favourite event at the Olympics.
South Africa’s Olympic committee and national track federation suddenly decided to clear Pistorius for the 400 at the London Games on his carbon fiber blades despite him just missing out on the country’s strict qualifying criteria.
They added his name as the last on their team of 125 track and field athletes.
In London, Pistorius will easily be his country’s biggest draw and will rival Jamaican sprinting sensation Usain Bolt and U.S. swimming great Michael Phelps for the world’s attention.
Not bad for a kid who had both his legs amputated below the knee at 11 months old and originally didn’t like track and field when he took it up as a teenager to rehabilitate from a rugby injury.
“To have been selected to represent Team South Africa at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the individual 400m and the 4x400m relay is a real honour and I am so pleased that years of hard work, determination and sacrifice have all come together,” Pistorius said on Wednesday.
Set to realize his dream of competing at an Olympics and Paralympics in the same year, his joy also was obvious in a post on Twitter.
“Will be in @London2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games!” the multiple Paralympic champion and soon-to-be Olympic athlete tweeted. “Thank you to everyone that has made me the athlete I am! God, family and friends, my competitors and supporters! You have all had a hand!”
Pistorius’ Olympic selection wasn’t clear cut. He forced his way in against all the odds as he’s done time and time again.
Just like his last-gasp qualifying time to make history at the world championships last year, Pistorius claimed his place at the Olympics late. He also needed some help.
Pistorius ran a personal best 45.07 seconds last year and opened this season with a 45.20 — both Olympic-qualifying times.
But he needed another 45.30 or better at an international meet before last Saturday to seal a spot in the 400, according to his national Olympic committee’s regulations. He missed it by less than a quarter of a second in his final qualifying race at the African Championships.
“I have run two Olympic ’A’ standard times over the past 12 months and with the time I ran at the African Championships last week I know my speed and fitness are constantly improving so that I will peak in time for the Olympics,” he said.
After he missed out on his second required Olympic qualifying time, the South African Olympic committee and Athletics South Africa appeared certain to overlook him in the 400. They had insisted throughout the season that they wouldn’t relax their tough qualifying criteria for Pistorius.
But the late-season burst at the Africans, which also won him a silver and his first major individual medal in an able-bodied race, may have pushed officials to include him.
“Since he’s going to be there (in London), our decision is he can run both,” Olympic committee chief executive Reddy told The Associated Press. “There’s no reason why he can’t. Our decision is he can.”
Pistorius has always maintained a place in the 400 final at the Olympics was his ultimate career goal, even before he had to take his case to sport’s highest court to be allowed to compete against able-bodied athletes on his blades. Some still argue they give him an unfair advantage but he was cleared in 2008 and has never looked back.
“I have a phenomenal team behind me,” said Pistorius, promising to put “everything” into his final preparations for London and what’s likely to be his career pinnacle.
“I am aiming to race well, work well through the rounds, post good times and maybe even a personal best time on the biggest stage of them all. I am also hugely excited to then be competing to defend my three Paralympic titles at the Paralympic Games. I believe (we) will see some amazing times posted.”
Controversy could still follow Pistorius at the Olympics if there’s opposition to him running on his blades in any leg of the relay other than the first. Fears over the safety of other athletes, when runners bunch in the inside lane for the later legs, have been raised.
Pistorius’ memories of his historic appearance at the 2011 worlds in Daegu, South Korea, aren’t great, either.
He was dropped from the team for the final having helped South Africa through to the deciding race. He won a silver medal but was bitterly disappointed with the way he was treated there.
In London, though, he’s sure to run both events. He’s the country’s only entrant in the 400 after his 45.20 and was picked alongside Willem de Beer, Ofentse Mogawane and Shaun de Jager for the relay team, which is ranked No. 2 in the world.
After finalizing its squad with the inclusion of Pistorius, the national Olympic committee said it had high hopes for all its athletes.
“As I have said many times before, we are not taking passengers to London,” South African Olympic committee President Gideon Sam said.
Topics: Olympics, Sports, London 2012: Track
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Posted: Wednesday April 17, 2013 2:35 PM
S&P warns Russia on high costs for 2018 World Cup
MOSCOW (AP) -Many of the Russian cities hosting the 2018 World Cup will have trouble finding the money to build soccer stadiums and improve transit links and other infrastructure, the Standard & Poor's ratings agency has warned.
Seven of the 11 Russian host cities will have to borrow money or receive much more support from the federal government than is now planned, the U.S. ratings agency said.
Unless the Russian government steps up its funding "the current poor state of municipal infrastructure in the host cities means the standards of infrastructure at tournament venues are likely to be lower than in the past,'' S&P said in a report.
The Russian government estimates the total 2018 World Cup budget at $22 billion, which already is much higher than Brazil's budget of $13.6 billion for the 2014 World Cup. The Russian government has also said it would restrict its World Cup support to sports-related construction.
Russia's local governments, however, have put the total cost for the 2018 World Cup at up to $43 billion, which includes new metro lines, roads, airports and utility upgrades.
But for most of them, "slowing economic growth, material spending pressure triggered by a presidential call for public salary increases and very modest fiscal flexibility'' will make it difficult to find sufficient funds, Standard & Poor's said.
S&P said four Russian cities should have no trouble covering their 2018 World Cup expenditures: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi. Among the remaining seven, those facing the biggest difficulties are Kaliningrad, Samara and Saransk, it said.
Michel Platini, president of the European soccer body UEFA, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Wednesday after touring some 2014 Olympic construction sites with Russia's sports minister.
"Honestly speaking, it would have been much more interesting to see the stadiums being built for the World Cup,'' Russian news agencies quoted Platini as saying. "In any case, I can state that the work is going ahead.''
Putin thanked Platini for praising the performance of the Russian national soccer team in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
"To hear such an assessment from such a specialist like you is really nice,'' Putin said during the televised meeting.
In its report, S &P encouraged Russia's federal government to step in as it has done ahead of other international events, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but cautioned that Russia may find this more difficult now because of slower economic growth and higher spending.
Russian expenditures for the 2014 Sochi Olympics are estimated to eventually be about $50 billion - the most expensive Olympics ever, significantly higher than the $14.3 billion spent by London in 2012.
The ratings agency report said Russia's federal and local governments may have underestimated their World Cup costs because "budgets for large capital projects in Russia have often exceeded initial estimates.''
One main reason for this is Russia's rampant corruption, which is particularly high in road construction and other building projects.
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Home / Other Sports / Phil Taylor Wins World Matchplay Title
Phil Taylor Wins World Matchplay Title
By John O'Riordan
Phil Taylor won his 14th World Matchplay title on Sunday night after beating fellow Stoke player Adrian Lewis in the decider.
Taylor proved too strong for his compatriot on a scoreline of 18-13 at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, in the process recording a sixth successive victory in the event.
The legendary player known as The Power, averaged 111.23 across 31 legs, including three 100-plus checkouts to overcome Lewis’ 19 180s.
“It was tough and it’s probably one of the best finals I’ve ever been involved in,” said Taylor. “It was a great final and there were two winners there.
“I knew that Adrian would throw a lot of 180s but my game plan was to hit the 140s and 137s and the odd 180 to keep him under pressure. I had to keep pounding him, and it felt that every time I turned around he was hitting a 180.
“He was phenomenal and I’ve never played anyone like him because it’s very difficult to keep up with him. He was superb.
Lewis was disappointed to lose out but paid tribute to the winner, admitting he was one of the all time legends.
“I threw everything at him but he put me under so much pressure,” said Lewis. “I gave it my all but I fell short at the end, and Phil showed what a great champion he is.”
adrian lewisFeaturedphil taylor
Epsom Derby Runners – The clues so far
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Bruins Have Decisions To Make This Offseason
By Jared Smith in
June 30, 2013 at 10:48am ⋅
After a great, but tragic, season, the Bruins now look ahead to the offseason with some decisions to make. With some contracts expiring and the potential for trades to be made, there are some moves that need to be made. Some things are already known with Jaromir Jagr, Andrew Ference and Nathan Horton, who are set to be unrestricted free agents and will not be returning to the team. However with the core of the team coming back, there are a few players the team has to make decisions on. Though one of those decisions is an easy one.
Tuukka Rask is a must-sign, and after the playoffs that he had, he proved to everyone that he is worth top goaltender money. In the two seasons that Rask was the starter from the regular season into the playoffs, he put up great regular season numbers and though he had his struggles in the 2010 playoffs, he was clearly the best player on the Bruins during the this year’s cup run. Rask will be in line to make somewhere in the six-million-dollar range, and he deserves to be paid like an elite goalie. This will be an easy decision for the Bruins, and since Rask is a restricted free agent, they won’t have to worry about competing with other teams. Tuukka Rask looks like he is in line to be the Bruins goalie for most if not all of the next decade.
One interesting situation that developed in the playoffs is the situation with the defense. When Ference and Seidenberg went down with injury, the Bruins had three rookies playing. The team had seen a lot of Dougie Hamilton during the regular season and knew what he was. But everyone was surprised how well Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug played in the series against the New York Rangers, Krug played well through the rest of the playoffs too. With those three players set to have spots in the lineup, and having Chara, Mcquaid, Seidenberg, and Boychuk under contract, the bruins are going to have to make a decision on defense and maybe look to trade one of them.
There will be other moving parts with questions on players like Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly, as well as Carl Soderberg challenging for a spot in the lineup. The salary cap is going down this season, but the Bruins should not be anywhere close to in trouble with the cap. They are clearing some money with Ference and Jagr leaving, not to mention they still can put Marc Savard on long term injured reserve and clear up even more space. With how close the Bruins were to winning the cup this year, everyone will be watching closely to see what they do and if they can keep themselves in position to be one of the top teams in the NHL once again.
About Jared Smith - @shmity91
Freelance Production Assistant for Comcast Sportsnet and former New York Rangers intern. I have been a long life sports fan, and have always wanted to cover sports in the media or work in the front office for a team. Follow me on Twitter @ shmity91
Tags: Andrew Ference, Carl Soderberg, Chris Kelly, Dougie Hamilton, Jaromir Jagr, Marc Savard, Matt Bartkowski, Nathan Horton, Rich Peverley, Torey Krug, Tuukka Rask
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Post-Game Notebook: Hawks Rebound To Take Critical Game 5 By: 04/26/2009 1:05 AM - From chicagoblackhawks.com: (link)
After two shaky outings in a row, the Blackhawks rebounded in a big way Saturday night, taking Game 5 of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series against Calgary 5-1. The crucial win gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, and they stand just one win away from their first postseason series win in 13 years.
“I liked the response we had tonight,” said head coach Joel Quenneville. “We needed a good response for the two losses and get some momentum in our team game. We played our best game of the series today, and I like the progress we've made.”
The Hawks dominated every facet of the important playoff game; they managed to jump on Calgary early, scoring three goals in the first period; they defended effectively as well, limiting the Flames to just 20 shots on goal, and allowing none in the first 10 minutes of play; and Nikolai Khabibulin was strong in net, allowing just one goal on a puck that got under his leg in the second period.
“We were focused tonight on playing hard whistle-to-whistle,” said Brent Seabrook. “I know the team that scored the first goal in the series hadn’t won, but I don’t think that changed the way we wanted to come out. We wanted to make a good start, get on them early and stay with it.”
“We tried to play a 60-minute game, which is tough to do against this team,” said Cam Barker. “I thought we turned the tides a little bit tonight, and the results were good.”
Saturday’s win was also the Hawks’ best all-around team game of the postseason; 10 different skaters recorded a point on the night, and two Hawks blueliners - Seabrook and Barker - added goals in the winning effort.
“If you ever get a chance to get a shot on goal, you need to do that,” Barker said. “When your d-men can step in and help offensively, it takes pressure off the guys in front. But our forwards have done a great job getting back, as well, and that’s been a key [to our success].”
Heading back to Calgary with a 3-2 series lead is important for the young Hawks, few of whom had ever visited the playoffs before this season, much less put a series away. The pressure on Chicago to finish what they’ve started on Monday will be compounded by a hostile Calgary crowd.
"[Closing out the series] is always tougher – every game is tough. We found out how tough it was in Calgary,” Quenneville said. “We know about the challenges and we can learn from our past experience. We know we have to play our best game on Monday.” “I think it’s going to be a new experience for a lot of guys in here,” said Seabrook. “But I think we’re ready for it. We’re going to come prepared, and we’ll be ready for Game 6.”
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BLACKHAWKS' KANE TO BE FEATURED ON COVER OF NHL 10 By: 06/22/2009 1:51 PM - REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that Patrick Kane will be the new face of the EA SPORTS NHL 10 videogame. Kane is the youngest player ever chosen for the cover of the NHL franchise and his image will be on the front of all packaging when NHL 10 is available on Sept. 15.
Having emerged as one of the most skilled players in the NHL in two seasons, Kane won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2008 and this year helped lead the Blackhawks to the Western Conference Finals. He has scored more than 20 goals and registered more than 70 points in each of his first two seasons.
EA SPORTS also announced that it has signed Canadian junior hockey scoring sensation John Tavares, expected to be the top pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, to an endorsement contract. Tavares will join Kane, the first overall draft pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, as spokespersons for NHL 10.
“It’s exciting to be on the cover of my favorite videogame after playing just my second year as a professional,” said Kane. “When you look back at some of the great players who have had this opportunity, it’s exciting to be a part of the EA SPORTS family and contribute to a game I’ve been playing for more than 10 years.”
A native of Buffalo, NY, Kane is just the second American-born player to be featured on the cover of the videogame franchise. New York Rangers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck was the first when he was featured on the cover of NHL 97.
“At EA SPORTS we believe in identifying the most talented up-and-coming athletes in the world to help us develop the most authentic sports games,” said Jordan Edelstein, Vice President of Marketing for EA SPORTS. “We believe Kane is one of the next great American hockey stars and Tavares will have an immediate impact in the league.”
Along with Kane, regional NHL 10 cover athletes for Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Switzerland will be named at a later date. NHL 10 will be in retail stores across Europe on Sept. 18.
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related storiesBolasie hopes to derail CityMessi future to be resolvedBerbatov keen on Monaco stayHazard misses Chelsea trainingGaray fuels transfer talkCourtois up for Chelsea testTweet25 February 2014, 13:35Gray wants goal-line replays
Sheffield Wednesday manager Stuart Gray wants goal-line technology in the Sky Bet Championship and cup competitions.
Wednesday were knocked out of the FA Cup by Charlton on Monday night as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough.
Gray was left wondering whether second-half substitute Atdhe Nuhiu's 73rd-minute header had crossed the line after the ball came back off the inside of the post.
But referee Mark Clattenburg let play continue after Charlton goalkeeper Ben Hamer had gathered the ball one-handed and the Londoners held on to their 2-1 win.
"They've obviously got goal-line technology in the Premier League and when you're talking about the FA Cup, maybe they could (have it), or even in the Championship," said Gray, who conceded Charlton were worthy of their place in the last eight.
"I don't know, the officials make what they think are the correct decisions. I felt by the crowd's reaction and a few of my players' that it had gone over the line.
"I was amazed to see the keeper then laid on top of the ball, I was expecting a goal, but it wasn't to be.
"But we probably got what we deserved. We got knocked out of the cup because we didn't perform for 90 minutes."Tweetarticle458351advertisement
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hide Brian Gay wins Challenge in three-way playoff
Sunday, January 20, 2013 6:46 p.m. CST
LA QUINTA, California (Reuters) - Brian Gay clinched his fourth PGA Tour title in champion style when he beat fellow American Charles Howell III and Swede David Lingmerth in a sudden-death playoff to win the Humana Challenge on Sunday.
Gay, 41, sealed victory in fading light on the Palmer Private course at PGA West after striking a superb approach to five feet at the par-four 10th, the second extra hole, and coolly sinking the birdie putt.
Howell, bidding to claim his first title on the U.S. circuit in six years, bogeyed the hole after ending up in the back left bunker in two, splashing out to nine feet beyond the pin and missing the par putt.
PGA Tour rookie Lingmerth was eliminated at the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, where he bogeyed after hitting his second shot into water. Howell, with a solid two-putt, and Gay, who chipped to four feet, both birdied the hole.
"It feels amazing," Gay told reporters after securing the winner's cheque for $1.008 million and a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. "I'm still in a little bit of shock. It kind of happened so fast there at the end the way things went down."
The trio had finished the 72 regulation holes on 25-under-par 263, Howell signing off with an eight-under 64, Gay carding a 63 and Lingmerth matching the day's best score with a 62.
American Scott Stallings, five strokes in front overnight, bogeyed the par-five last after hitting his second shot into water to drop out of the lead for the first time in the final round, finishing with a 70 in a tie for fourth at 24 under.
"There weren't any nerves or anything like that going into it," Stallings said about his wayward six-iron approach at the 18th. "Just hit a bad shot.
"Felt like I made a good swing, just the ball ... got a bad kick and went in the water. But it is what it is."
Stallings had been in control of the tournament after firing a 63 in Saturday's third round and he maintained his five-shot lead with three birdies in his first four holes, narrowly missing an eagle putt from nine feet at the par-five second.
However, he faltered at the seventh with a three-putt bogey, his par putt from inside two feet catching the left edge of the cup and spinning away for his lead to be cut to two strokes.
Stallings then failed to take advantage of the drivable par-four eighth, chipping from greenside rough to three feet before again lipping out.
After parring the ninth to reach the turn in two-under 34 with a one-shot cushion, he birdied the 10th and 11th to stay a stroke in front of the chasing Gay.
Though Stallings scrambled well to save par from a greenside bunker at the 12th and also at the par-five 14th, where he drove into a canal, he bogeyed 16 to drop back into a tie for the lead with Gay, Lingmerth and Howell.
After safely parring the 17th, Stallings struck a perfect drive down the 18th fairway but then stunningly pulled his approach into the lake guarding the left side of the hole, winding up with a bogey to finish a stroke outside the playoff.
"I knew Scott was five ahead and even with a really low round, it would be tough to catch him, if at all," Gay, long regarded as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, said of the task facing him at the start of the day.
"I played great on the front, just tried to stay aggressive and shoot low."
Twice former champion Phil Mickelson, making his first appearance on the 2013 PGA Tour, signed off with a seven-birdie 66 to share 37th place at 17 under, having recovered well from a rusty 72 in the opening round.
"I feel like I'm starting to play well, hit some putts on line," said the four-times major champion, who had been battling flu-like symptoms earlier in the week.
"So hopefully I'll be able to make a run on the weekend here next week, because that's what's exciting, is having a chance to win," Mickelson added, referring to the January 24-27 Farmers Insurance Open.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Patrick Johnston)
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hide Singh's sparkling 64 for ailing mum
Saturday, November 24, 2012 4:28 a.m. CST
Jeev Milkha Singh watches his shot from the rough on the 15th hole during the second round of the British Open golf championship at Royal Ly By Tony Jimenez
DUBAI (Reuters) - Jeev Milkha Singh dedicated a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to his ailing 76-year-old mother back home in India after equaling the course record in the DP World Tour Championship third round on Saturday.
Singh, who became the first Indian to play in the U.S. Masters five years ago, said his mother Nirmal was in intensive care in Chandigarh after taking a nasty fall in the garden.
"She has fractured her knee and the fibula bone and needs major surgery," the 10-times European Tour winner told reporters after surging through the field to finish with a seven-under aggregate of 209.
"She needs some plates put in and that surgery is going to take place tomorrow morning. We are hoping and praying that everything goes fine and she comes out well.
"I dedicate this round to my mum for sure," said Singh after rattling off nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the Greg Norman-designed Earth course that is hosting the tour's final event of the season.
Singh's mother used to be a national-level volleyball player and still plays golf but her worried son said it might be some time before she picks up her clubs again.
"That used to be her exercise, she played golf every day in the morning for nine holes," said the 40-year-old.
"We've got a driveway which has marble stone. There was some water on it and she slipped."
His mother's accident seemed to galvanize Singh from the start on Saturday.
"I said to my caddie Janet on the first tee, let's try to get a new course record," said the former Asian Tour number one. "I was close enough and maybe I can have the same thought process tomorrow.
"As we were walking to the first tee I said to Janet, 'We are one-over for the tournament, way down the field, let's try for the record'."
Singh's 64 came 24 hours after Sergio Garcia produced an eight-under effort to equal the Earth record previously held by Britons Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher, Swede Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer of Germany and last year's tournament winner Alvaro Quiros of Spain.
The Indian said he should not even be playing in this week's $8 million Dubai event because of a finger injury he sustained when winning the Scottish Open in July.
"I would like to take some time off but these tournaments are so good that I can't stay away," laughed Singh.
"I can't really hit the shots I want to hit especially the punch shots because it really hurts when I dig into the ground. The putter was really hot today and I think that was the reason for the 64.
"The doctors told me to take four months off but that's not in my dictionary. I love this game too much," said Singh.
(Editing by Alastair Himmer)
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WVU wideouts receiving a lot of attention
MORGANTOWN - If you're wondering how things are going in West Virginia's springtime effort to replace most of its receiving corps, well, keep wondering.
Dana Holgorsen isn't disseminating much information and new wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway is saying even less.
It's not that they don't have the answers, although to a large extent that's true. Replacing Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, the two most prolific pass-catchers in school history, is no quick and easy task.
But no, the real reason Galloway won't talk specifics in regard to what his receivers are accomplishing this spring is that he just doesn't want to.
And with good reason.
"Right now we want to work with them as a group and see how much we can improve,'' Galloway said. "And then from the group, individuals will start separating themselves.''
In other words, while you might have your own ideas of who might emerge from a group of about a dozen receivers, Galloway prefers to try to elevate them all. Eventually the cream will rise to the top, but with so many holes to fill, there are places for plenty.
Consider how things shook out last season. Austin and Bailey were clearly the best of the bunch, followed by J.D. Woods, who is also gone. West Virginia's wide receivers caught 341 passes last season. Those three caught 289, or 85 percent.
And when Bailey was hobbled for part of the season with a bad ankle or when Austin was filling in as a tailback or Woods was pretty much disappearing for stretches, what was left?
Not much. No one else averaged more than one catch per game.
Galloway wants to make sure that doesn't happen again.
"That's what we're working on - two deep, three deep,'' Galloway said. "We want to find the best five or six or seven.
"Look at last year. It would have been nice when Tavon was here if they'd had somebody who was close to Tavon to be able to rest him. That's what we're striving for, trying to find the best six or seven guys to go out there on the field and you don't miss a beat when you have to rotate them.''
All of which is why no one is getting more attention than anyone else as the Mountaineers go through spring drills.
Yes, there are some potential stars in the mix.
Holgorsen sang the praises of two newcomers, junior college transfer Kevin White and freshman Daikiel Shorts, before practice even began. Jordan Thompson was an August camp star who disap
peared during the season, but seems likely to be the closest thing the team has to another Austin. Guys like Dante Campbell and K.J. Myers at least earned some playing time last season.
But it's hard to get Galloway to open up about any of them. Take White, for instance. He's a 6-foot-3, 211-pounder who appears to have all the tools, but has been on campus only a few months.
"Kevin is coming along, but I don't want to toot Kevin's horn right now because he's been practicing for [only a few weeks],'' Galloway said. "He's a part of the group. He's made some plays in practice, but until he gets through these 15 days of [spring] practice he's just one of the guys . . . We're expecting him to do a lot of good things, but for right now he's one of the guys out of the 12 that we've got.
"But yes, he's what you're looking for. He's big, athletic, can run, tall, catches the ball. I'd take five or six Kevin Whites. But as far as coming from junior college and playing Big 12 football, who knows what's going to happen?''
He likes Thompson, too, not so much because the 5-7, 168-pounder looks and plays a bit like Austin, but because he's working hard.
"But as far as him being the next [Austin], I'm not saying he couldn't be,'' Galloway said. "But there's only one Tavon and we all know that.''
But like at quarterback, where Paul Millard and Ford Childress re both getting equal reps in an effort to find out who rises to the top, neither White nor Thompson nor anyone else is being groomed to replace last year's stars.
At least not yet.
"That's what we're preaching to them, that they're only as good as the group,'' Galloway said. "And it's not just the receivers, but everybody. We're only going to be as good as the group . . . We need to be good from top to bottom, not just three or four good players.''
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« Now in charge: Redline becom...
Terza earns Sylvan victory...»
Love: Pro golfers want to keep long putter in the bag
By Ken Love - For the Mirror Save | Late last year, as expected, the USGA publicly proposed a rules change that would effectively eliminate long putters. Their proposal would ban the "anchoring" of these clubs to a golfer's body during the golf stroke. As part of this new proposal, the USGA invited comments from interested parties before a final decision was made. Surprisingly, the PGA Tour has publicly voiced its strong disagreement with this newly proposed ban. Many touring pros - Keegan Bradley, Ernie Els, Adam Scott, etc. - are earning their living using this type of putter, and the PGA Tour seems intent on trying to keep it that way. This leaves the USGA, golf's rules maker, in a tough spot - follow through with their original proposal to ban long putters, or submit to the pressure of the PGA Tour and continue to allow their use. This really difficult decision is expected to be made sometime this spring. DeGol update Hollidaysburg's Anthony DeGol is finishing a fine career as a member of Penn State's golf team. Earlier this season DeGol placed fifth at the Colleton River Collegiate Tournament in South Carolina, helping to lead the Nittany Lion team to a first-place finish. Last week at the Rutherford Invitational, he continued his great play by finishing seventh in the field of 75 golfers. DeGol will be winding down his collegiate career this weekend as he competes for Penn State in the Big Ten Championships at French Lick, Ind. The tournament begins today and will conclude on Sunday. Passing of a legend Central Pennsylvania lost one of the giants of the game over this past winter. Ed DelBaggio, originally from Tyrone, passed away in February. DelBaggio came to know the game of golf while working as a caddy at the Tyrone Golf Club and Altoona Cricket Club in the 1920s and '30s. In 1939, he became head professional at the Tyrone Golf Club and was later the first head professional at Sinking Valley when the course opened in 1963. While there, he was the first area pro to introduce motorized golf carts. During his adult life, Ed was one of the most highly skilled golfers in the area and always enjoyed relaying stories about playing Altoona's oldest course - the Cricket Club, which closed in the mid 1930s. Ed DelBaggio was 94 years old. Ken Love covers area golf for the Mirror. His column runs on Fridays. © Copyright 2014 The Altoona Mirror. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Red Bull still has lots of options for Webber replacement Christian Horner is not ruling out any drivers for next year's Red Bull drive, including Kimi Raikkonen, saying the media would be surprised at some of the offers he has received.After Raikkonen's management said he would not drive for Red Bull next year, Daniel Ricciardo became the logical choice based on previous comments made by Horner. But the Red Bull team principal stressed that a deal has not yet been signed and no driver has been completely ruled out. "I wouldn't rule anything out at the moment," he said. "Until we finalize who is going to take the second seat there is nothing more to say. "Kimi's very much his own man, I'm sure he will do what's best for him at the end of the day. We're in a fortunate position where there's a lot of interest in the seat and we've still got a bit of time before we need to make any firm commitments. "We are just going to use that time to evaluate the market fully and as soon as a decision is finally made you will know very quickly." Asked if Raikkonen is out of the running, he added: "As far as I am aware he hasn't signed a contract with anyone yet. It's quite simple, once we are clear and fixed there will be an announcement very shortly [after]. You have to make sure you consider all the options and there are more options than you could possibly think. "I've not had any discussions recently with Kimi. He's obviously decided he wants to go a specific route and that's his choice. Kimi's a quality driver obviously, but I don't think we are short of choice." Pushed for a deadline for a decision, he said: "It's not going to be much longer, I would have thought. By Monza or shortly after Monza we should be clear." Fernando Alonso was linked to the seat at the Hungarian Grand Prix and some rumors have even put Jenson Button in the frame, despite the McLaren driver insisting he plans to stay where he is once a contract option is signed off. But Horner indicated some big names had approached the team. "You'd be surprised at the approaches that we've had, but I don't want to compromise any of the discussions that may or may not be happening," he said. "Once we've made a clear commitment you will know about it." As for Ricciardo, Horner said: "Daniel's done a very good job in the test that he's done for us and the recent races that he's done for Toro Rosso. But that doesn't mean it's a foregone conclusion. It's a very important decision for us and we want to take the time to make the right decision and assess all the options. We are in a fortunate position where there are a lot of drivers that want to be in that car." ESPNF1
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Will Kevin Millwood Pitch For Orioles Again?
ST PETERSBURG FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Pitcher Kevin Millwood #34 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on September 29 2010 in St. Petersburg Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)
Might free agent Kevin Millwood return to the Orioles, for whom he toiled in 2010? According to MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli, management has kicked around the idea:
The Orioles are, at least, considering the possibility of bringing back veteran Kevin Millwood, although it remains to be seen if the right-hander -- who opted out of his contract with the Yankees on Sunday -- would accept a Minor League deal.
Millwood was 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA in 31 starts with Baltimore in 2010, and given the team's lack of starting-rotation depth, the O's have kicked around the idea.
--snip--
Showalter bristled when a media member asked if the sentiment around Millwood in the Orioles organization was "been there, done that."
"I think that's a little cold for a guy like Kevin," he said. "If you are looking at it purely statistically, you can say whatever you want to say. But I kind of feel a little bit more as Kevin is a human being than some slab of meat that pitches. He's a good man. He's professional and a lot of times last year, that 'been there, done that' was pretty good for the Orioles, OK?"
Spoken like a real Baseball Man.
Millwood's last year was ... um, interesting. He made 31 starts and pitched 191, which was no doubt valuable on a team stocked mostly with young, tender-armed pitchers.
He won four of those 31 starts, thus becoming only the fourth pitcher since World War II to start at least 30 games and win fewer than five of them. Millwood did deserve a better fate -- anyone would -- but his 5.10 ERA wasn't exactly sparkling and at this point in his career he just gives up too many home runs.
In his rehab outings with the Yankees last month, he gave up three home runs in nine triple-A innings.
All of which is neither here nor there, really. Kevin Millwood is a replacement-level pitcher, at best, but there's obviously a place in the game, and sometimes even the majors, for replacement-level pitchers.
I just don't figure how there's a place for him on the Orioles.
The Orioles have four young starters in their rotation. One of them, Brad Bergesen, maybe shouldn't be. They've also got a veteran, Jeremy Guthrie, who's plenty reliable. And as Ghiroli notes, (young) Brian Matusz and (veteran) Justin Duchscherer might both return to action before June. Which could give the Orioles seven starting pitchers, at least five of whom could pitch for most major-league teams.
Unless the Orioles need a mentor for the guys in triple-A Norfolk, I just don't see a fit here. More like a misfit.
Colorado Rockies Sign Kevin Millwood
Kevin Millwood Signs With Colorado Rockies
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Rowers' Olympic medal success celebrated
Thousands of people have watched the event in Henley, which ended with a civic reception
Homecoming for 'Colne Cyclone'
Where next to see Team GB stars?
Home towns welcome GB heroes home
The Olympic success of rowers from the Leander Club has been celebrated in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
Some 12 athletes from the club won medals, including golds for two crews and silvers and bronzes for two more.
Ten of those plus three medallists from different clubs took part in the event which culminated with an open-top bus parade through the town. Elsewhere Jade Jones's taekwondo gold medal was celebrated in her home town of Flint, north Wales.
The teenager appeared on the balcony at Flint Town Hall before an open-top bus tour of the town.
Jones later tweeted: "One word about tonight - unbelievable. Thanks to everyone who came."
And Olympic gold medallist Steven Burke has returned to Lancashire, where he was taken around Colne in an open-top car, followed by a cavalcade of cyclists.
The 24-year-old, nicknamed The Colne Cyclone, won gold in the men's team pursuit track cycling at London 2012.
In Henley, thousands cheered from the banks of the Thames as the oarsmen and women performed a row-past upstream.
The 10 Leander Club members attending the celebrations were Alex Gregory, who won a gold medal in the men's four; Anna Watkins, who won gold in the women's double sculls, and Chris Bartley and Richard Chambers, who won silvers in the lightweight men's four.
There was also Mark Hunter, who picked up a silver medal in the lightweight men's double sculls; Alex Partridge, Rick Egington, Matt Langridge and Phelan Hill, who claimed bronze in the men's eight; and Will Satch, who won a bronze medal in the men's pair.
The three other medallists attending from different clubs were Tom James (Molesey Boat Club), who won a gold in the men's four, Tom Ransley (York City Rowing Club) and Greg Searle (Molesey Boat Club), who won bronze medals in the men's eight.
'Really special'
At 10:45 BST they started the row-past to the River and Rowing Museum before returning to the Leander Club. It was followed by an open-top bus parade through Henley and a civic reception at Henley Town Hall.
It was an exciting day, said Alex Gregory.
"We really like to be able to give back to the town and people who have enjoyed the Olympics. "It's really special when someone says, 'Oh, I saw your race and really enjoyed it and it's inspired my kids to start rowing or start sport or learn something that they wouldn't have done otherwise.'
"We're really starting to appreciate what it means to people and we can, we're paying back Henley now for all the support they've given us and Leander Club here so it's a special day for us."
25 AUGUST 2012, LANCASHIRE Where next to see Team GB stars?
14 AUGUST 2012, UK Home towns welcome GB heroes home
25 AUGUST 2012, UK Which sports won and lost at London 2012?
13 AUGUST 2012, OLYMPICS Share this page
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New York Giants' news, 9/16: More reaction to 0-2 start
Ron Antonelli
New York Giants' headlines for Monday, 9/16.
After Sunday's 41-23 loss to the Denver Broncos, we gave you the reaction of New York Giants' head coach Tom Coughlin. We also brought the thoughts of many of the players in a somber post-game locker room. One player we didn't get to is safety Antrel Rolle. Here is what he said Sunday night about the Giants being 0-2.
"I can say what we are, but the record shows otherwise. The record shows 0-2, so at this point, we're an 0-2 team. It's up to us what we're going to do from this point on," Rolle said. "We can either get in the tank, which is something that we will never, ever do, or we can go out and fight like I hope that we will do and like I see us going out there and doing. We have to pick it up. We have to pick it up in all three phases on the game, offensively, defensively and special teams."
Now let's move on to some of the reaction from around the Internet.
The Giants, of course, won the Super Bowl after starting the 2007 season 0-2. A couple of columnists wrote that the Giants can't count on that happening again.
Here is Steve Politi of the Star-Ledger:
In so many ways, 0-2 is the best thing that ever happened to this franchise because, while no one dreamed it at the time, it was the perfect start to one of the most unlikely stories in Super Bowl history.
But 0-2 might be the worst thing that happened to the Giants, too, because now every time the team digs itself a hole or underachieves can point back and tell themselves, "We’ve done this before." Which is a dangerous habit, and one that will almost always end in disappointment.
Because Michael Strahan is not going to abandon Kelly Ripa and start sacking the quarterback again, and Brett Favre is not going to throw a killer interception on a cold night in Green Bay again, and nobody – least of all the long-retired David Tyree – is going to catch a prayer of a pass on his helmet.
So the record might be the same, and the two losses look just as bad, but let’s get this straight: This is not 2007. Nor should anyone, including the players in that locker room, expect it to end the same way.
Here is Dan Graziano of ESPN:
After a stinker of a 41-23 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday night dropped the 2013 Giants to 0-2, you knew you were going to hear and read all about '07, because in the NFL it's always about one thing that's happened in the past that's a little bit like the thing that's happening now.
It's hogwash, though. Straight-up hooey. The Giants can't be trading on yesterday in an effort to fix today's problem. This right here is a whole new challenge for Tom Coughlin and the Giants' veterans, and one of the few positives for them right now is that at least they know that.
Ernie Palladino of WFAN watched the game, watched the screwy, bad things that happened to the Giants Sunday and wrote simply that "bad things happen to bad teams."
Punter Steve Weatherford had one of the worst games of his Giants' career Sunday night, hitting several poor punts. The night was capped off when Trindon Holliday returned a bouncing, badly punted ball 81 yards for a touchdown. Weatherford knew his effort wasn't up to par, tweeting that he "punted poorly today."
The defense was not the Giants' primary problem Sunday night, but defensive end Justin Tuck says the group needs to play better.
More from Big Blue View
Post-Game Reaction: Giants' players talk about 0-2 start
'Disappointed' Coughlin says 'We have to hang in there'
Instant Analysis: Inept offense is Giants' biggest issue
Broncos 41, Giants 23: Peyton wins Manning Bowl III
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Seasiders Linked With Hungarian Striker?
Blackpool have again been linked to a relatively unknown player in this transfer window.This time it's a Hungarian striker playing for MTK Budapest. He goes by the name of Adam Hrepka and shares the same agent as Gergely Rudolf, Krisztian Timar and Peter Halmosi.Scoring 23 goals in his first two breakthrough seasons, Hrepka made an instant impact in the Hungarian top flight. However, he's since dropped down the pecking order at Budapest after a goal dry spell. Whether he was being played in the right position - much like Jason Euell - we don't know. Hrepka must have some quality, as his national side have capped him on three occasions, and he's got Champions League experience. It has been internationally reported that the striker is over in Blackpool for talks, but whether that is true or not, or if Ian Holloway fancies signing him, remains to be seen.Looking at the other players who share the same agent and the road we've been down before, it could be that the agent is touting names around the european press and using Blackpool as bait for other clubs. Writer: Editor Date:Monday January 25 2010
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DJ Newbill Will Make An Impact
By Eric Gibson
@BSD_Eric
D.J. Newbill, who transferred last week, quietly comes to Penn State without much hoopla. First, he's going to have to sit out a year, so he won't be seen on the court for a while. Second, he's coming from a mid-major conference. Third, he posted what might be perceived as 'average' statistics his freshmen campaign, where he logged 30.5 MPG, 9.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.6 APG. Those are solid for a freshmen, but nothing that makes you jump for joy over this transfer.
However, further statistical analysis inspired by KenPom offers reason for optimism. Below is a table comparing DJ's freshmen campaign with PSU's 3 best players of the past 8 years: Geary Claxton, Jamelle Cornley, and Talor Battle. Obviously each of these players came into different situations. Geary came in to a completely depleted team that was devastated by transfers and lacked enough players to hold a scrimmage in practice. Jamelle Cornley came in a year removed from Claxton's situation (meaning it wasn't much better). Battle came into a little more stability, but had to replace the only point guard PSU ever had the previous four years in Ben Luber. He was also counted on to produce right away. DJ Newbill came into a much different situation. He was first just trying to rebound from having his dream pulled out from under him when Buzz Williams at Marquette rescinded his scholarship in favor of Jamil Wilson, who was transferring from Oregon. The reason for the release was never disclosed, but supposedly MU used unfinished paperwork from Newbill as justification. They rescinded his scholarship on July 1st, and DJ landed at USM roughly three weeks later. Southern Miss was returning many upperclassmen, and they were picked to finish 3rd in the C-USA. They had a returning senior leader in F Gary Flowers along with 4 other seniors. Player
%Min
%Poss
%Shot
TO%
Cornley
Newbill
With different roles on different teams, the usage stat (% of possessions) would have been expected to be in favor of the PSU guys, which was the case. With fewer possessions, one would also expect the effiency and eFG% to be higher, which is the case with Newbill. But what's important to note is just how efficient DJ was for the Golden Eagles. His offensive rating was superb, especially for a freshmen with his playing time (<100 is bad, 100-110 is average, 110+ is good). His eFG% was solid as well, considering it wasn't boosted by 3PM (he only made 6 all year). Newbill made a whopping 54.3% of his 2-pointers (94/173). The two stats that jumped out to me the most are his rebounding percentages and his free throw rate. His offensive rebounding percentage was fantastic, comparable only to the great Geary Claxton in recent PSU history. Just go to the film one on one. Who's dunk was better? It's going to be harder in the Big Ten, but rebounding is an instinctual skill. Positioning, anticipation, and timing are what you need, regardless if your opponent can jump higher. I would be surprised to see Newbill's rebounding production take a hit in his time as a Nittany Lion. He could become one of the best rebounding guards in the league. His free throw rate, as David Jones pointed out, is also absurd for a freshmen. Penn State hasn't had a starter get to the line that often ever in the DeChellis era. This shows that our guy Newbill isn't afraid to attack the basket. Without a true post presence the past two years, PSU has really missed that man who can be depended upon to get to the foul line in crucial situations. Battle would have to be that guy far too often, but his small frame left him out to dry about half the time. Newbill combined with Tim Frazier and Jermaine Marshall, who also showed ability last year to drive and get to the line, will give PSU multiple options in the backcourt that can penetrate and draw the defense. Now all of these statistics aren't completely transferable to DJ's new situation at PSU. Yes, his efficiency is benefited by the fact that he wasn't the main man for the Eagles and could defer to talented upperclassmen (Flowers took 33.% of the shots when he was on the floor). However, he found his niche with Larry Eustachy's team, and played that role very well for a true freshmen. These stats further strengthen, at least in my mind, the reports from Jones' article that Newbill is an old-school, versatile team player. He's not going to be the guy, but he certainly will be someone that can contribute from day one. Maybe he can provide a little bit of this, even if his stats don't show it:
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Meta BCB
On Praising Or Criticizing The Cubs
Share with Cubs friends 518
It seems inevitable.
The Cubs make an offseason move, whether a trade or free-agent signing. The comments begin to roll in... many of them negative. Criticism of Jim Hendry. Wash, rinse, repeat. Then I chime in, almost reflexively giving some approval, however cautious, to whatever deal has been made.
Why does this happen? I've said at times to those who appear to be constantly negative, "Why are you even a Cubs fan?" Of course, that isn't true. You certainly can be a fan of a sports team and be a constant critic -- although, personally, I don't see how you get any enjoyment of following that team out of doing so. But to each his or her own.
We are approaching the sixth anniversary of this site -- February 9 is the date -- and in blog years, that's like decades. My feelings about the Cubs are well known; despite the lack of championships, I choose to be an optimist, to think that each move that is made, each change that happens, will be one that improves the team. Obviously, I wind up being wrong a fair amount of the time. I hope people here realize that and know that if I'm wrong, I'll admit it, and if I haven't, it's only because I take many positions here and I don't necessarily remember each one -- although people here also don't let me forget that!
For example, I didn't hesitate to criticize the Jacque Jones signing when it was made. I actually attempted to praise the signing of Milton Bradley, even though it wasn't the signing I wanted. We don't have to go over and over that one. I have consistently written about how I think the organization has made mistakes in pricing tickets, and wrote this long post about the problems in the bleachers last May, which may have helped lead to at least one solution -- the issuance of wristbands for over-21's to buy alcohol, which did help solve the problem.
Some here have asked what my role is. I'm a blogger. To me, that's kind of a cross between a reporter and a columnist. I try to get Cubs news posted here as quickly as possible for people to discuss, in some cases adding my own opinions later. One thing I've mentioned, seemingly often this offseason, is the feeling I get from many posters that no matter what the Cubs do regarding deals, or what the organization does, is that "everything the Cubs do is wrong". Maybe that's a little bit over the top, but that's the impression I get. Some here then think, if I then defend the move, that my position is "everything the Cubs do is right".
The truth is somewhere in the middle. While Jim Hendry has made some very poor decisions (the Bradley signing and the other moves made to spend those dollars; the Juan Pierre trade), he has now been Cubs GM for more than eight years, since July 5, 2002. Incidentally, that puts him in the top third of all major league GM's in longevity -- only eight others (Brian Cashman, Kenny Williams, Mark Shapiro, Dave Dombrowski, Terry Ryan, Billy Beane, Dan O'Dowd and Brian Sabean) have served longer, and only Sabean (hired in 1996) and O'Dowd (hired in 1999) have more tenure in the National League.
So he must be doing something right. In those eight years, the Cubs have won three division titles -- yes, that's not enough, of course we all want a World Series title -- and vastly improved the farm system under Tim Wilken, hired by Hendry away from the Toronto Blue Jays. Hendry is well respected by his colleagues as a people person and someone who's fair in dealings, and that has allowed him to make some deals that have benefited the franchise.
Are all of those deals great? No, certainly not, or the Cubs would have done better on the field. The moves made after the 2008 season, essentially breaking up a 97-win team just because they lost three in a row at the worst possible time, have hurt the team for the last two years. I choose to believe that the moves made this offseason -- which filled three holes (first base, right-handed setup, and a major league starter) -- will result in significant improvement.
If I'm wrong and they don't, I'll be happy to criticize and say they haven't. I was one of the first calling for Lou Piniella to step down last year when it was clear he was making wrong on-field moves, losing interest in leading, and bashing reporters for making strategy suggestions in postgame news conferences. If Lou had left in May, when I first called for that, would it have made any huge difference in the results of the 2010 season? Probably not, but given what eventually did happen, his departure was the right thing to do.
This site exists to bring Cubs fans of many disparate views together. If any of you feel I've come down too hard on you simply for disapproving of Cubs moves, I'm going to try not to do that. Criticism, when backed up with logical arguments and facts, is always welcome here. At the same time, if I disagree with that criticism, let's have a discussion of the issue without personal attacks and profanity (not saying that anyone specifically has been doing this; it's just a site rule). Personally, I like the moves made this offseason. Do I love them? One of them, yes -- signing Kerry Wood was absolutely the right thing to do, from every perspective. The Cubs needed a solid righthanded setup man, Wood is a solid clubhouse leader, and popular with fans. (Note the order I placed those factors in -- that's the order they should be in.) Carlos Pena, if healthy, was also a solid move. Did the Cubs give up too much for Matt Garza? Maybe, but I choose to believe he's going to put up better numbers in the NL Central than in the AL East. Will the Cubs suffer without a lefthander in the rotation? Maybe, but it's possible that one of the prospects received for Tom Gorzelanny will become a decent major leaguer down the road.
The bottom line is, though, I'm a Cubs fan. (And saying this is not intended to criticize anyone else's level, intensity or method of being a Cubs fan. Everyone here chooses their own way.) I want to believe, every year, that "this is the year", as Ron Santo used to say. Many times that optimism may not be justified, but one day it will be, and then we can all celebrate together. Until then, let's all keep this the most civil, intelligent, and best place to discuss Cubs baseball.
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Stallings loving life in Arena League
Andy Collier
Dec 22, 2012 | 3479 views | 0 | 12 | | Photo by Al Walters / Utah Blaze
Boyle native Ben Stallings runs hard with the football as a member of the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League. Stallings has become the team’s all-team leading rusher in his two-year career. slideshow
For most football players, their career ends in high school or college. Very few of them ever play professional football. Ben Stallings has enjoyed much success playing on the pro level in the Arena Football League. Stallings, who played high school football at Bayou Academy and Indianola Academy and college ball at Delta State University and Lambuth, will be entering his third season with the Utah Blaze when the season starts on March 23 against the Pittsburgh Power. Stallings, 25, has had a great career in the Arena League. The Boyle native has rushed for 337 yards with 23 touchdowns on 91 carries. Last season, he rushed for 129 yards with seven touchdowns on 43 carries as the Blaze advanced all the way to the semifinals of the Arena Football League Playoffs. The Blaze, who finished last year with a 12-6 record, lost to the eventual Arena League Champion Arizona Rattlers 75-69 in their semifinal contest. Stallings has already become the all-time leading rusher in the history of the Utah franchise. “It’s been a huge experience,” Stallings said. “Coming in as a rookie and playing for one of the best quarterbacks in the league, Tommy Grady, was big. Coming in and being able to protect him and have the best offense in the league for the past two years has been a great experience. You get the results of being in the best offense for two years in a row. It’s a good thing and a good feeling to be able to accomplish that.” Stallings said when he first began his career at Utah, the Blaze weren’t exactly a winning team as they were 2-14 in 2010.“The coaches up there really had a big impact on me coming down there,” Stallings said. “Ron McBride is a legend. He’s coached on every college level, and he was my line coach. He was kind of old school. The first year I was there we went 9-9. Last year, we went 12-6 and made it to the semifinals and got beat.”Through out his playing career, Stallings has had to learn to adapt to the speed of the game on each level he has advanced to.“I went from playing in private school football to Delta State football and the speed of the game was 100 percent faster. Moving from college to the next level is another 100 percent faster,” Stallings said with a chuckle. “There’s not time to think and say ‘okay what do I need to do better?’ It’s like you better get the job done now or you’re not going to have a spot to play.”Another adjustment that Stallings had to make as far as playing Arena League is getting used to the size of the playing field. On a regular football field, the playing surface is 100 yards with 10-yard end zones. In Arena League, it is 50 yards with 8-yard end zones. The shorter field has a major impact in the scoring off a typical Arena League game.“The dimensions of the field are smaller and it makes it a little easier to score for the offense, but the first linebacker I ever went up against was a fifth round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns,” Stallings said. “So, the athletes are just as quick (as they are in the NFL), but the field is twice as small. That’s why we say our game is a lot faster than the NFL.”Last year, the Blaze ranked third out of 17 Arena League teams in scoring offense by scoring an average of 62.7 points per game. To give an example of how many points are scored in Arena League, the Kansas City Command ranked last in the league in scoring offense by averaging 39.2 points per game. Stallings said one key stop by the defense can make a huge difference in the game. “We’ve scored 10 out of 11 drives before and lost the football game,” Stallings said. “We had 11 drives in a game and we lost because we missed one of those drives and didn’t score a touchdown. It’s a offensive game, and our defense has to be super aggressive in order to win.”In the regular season the past two years, the Blaze has played in 18 regular season games each year. Last year, the Blaze had one stretch where they played 11 weeks in a row after an off week. On this year’s schedule, Utah will have an off week after the third game and will play 15 weeks in a row after that. Stallings said it has taken a lot of work to stay in shape. “It’s a everyday grind,” Stallings said. “You’ve got to work at it every single day. When you get five games in, from there on out, your body realizes what I’m I doing. Your knees — you can barely get out of bed. We’re lucky to get a one-week break during the season. “There’s nothing like it, but it’s kind of fun because you’re around a group of men that know what it takes to finish and get to where we’re trying to go. When you’re around a team with the same ultimate goal, it’s a lot more fun than saying my body hurts,” Stallings added.Stallings has stayed around the game during the offseason. This past year, he served as an assistant football coach on East Side’s staff. The Trojans had a great year as they went 14-1 and advanced all the way to the 3A North Half Title game.Before the football season began, Stallings talked with East Side High School Principal Dr. Randy Grierson and East Side head football coach Roger Burton and he was given the chance to join the Trojans’ coaching staff. “They gave me the opportunity to get on the coaching side of things,” Stallings said. “They gave me the opportunity to teach the kids things that I’ve learned from a lot of great coaches.”Stallings said coaching at East Side has helped give him a new appreciation for the game and a great respect for everyone in the coaching profession. “It’s funny,” Stallings said,” because all the coaches that have actually coached me are sitting here telling you to be able to look yourself in the mirror tomorrow and know that you’ve played the last game and left it on the field. You turnaround and you come back to Cleveland, Mississippi, and you’re telling these kids the same exact thing. I don’t know what it is, but when I was younger I knew what he was saying but I didn’t really process it until it actually happened. “You just try to do your best to teach the kids that no matter what kind of adversity strikes on the football field, you’ve got to fight through it and get to the top,” Stallings added. Stallings has been taking classes at Delta State University and has finally earned his bachelor’s degree in general business and administration. He said he would love to be a head football coach in the future and be an athletic director at a school. Stallings said he is planning on being back in Utah by Jan. 3. Copyright 2014 The Bolivar Commercial. All rights reserved.
Symbols spread the message of Easter
Caroline Laster
Oma Dell Little Ward
A Day in the Life: A Singing Fianceé
A Day in the Life: Singing Fiancee
George Michael "Tiny/Mike" Templeton
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Poll Lookahead: Questions after the top two spots
Missouri running back Henry Josey (20) leaps over Texas A&M defender Clay Honeycutt (25) and rushes 57 yards for a touchdown during the second half Saturday at Faurot Field. / Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sportsby Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports Filed Under
For the first time since Week 15 of last season, there will be a new No. 1 atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. This week's poll, set to be released midday Sunday, will be headed by a team other than Alabama, which saw its run of dominance come to an end in a heartbreaking 34-28 loss to rival Auburn.
Florida State moves on up. The Seminoles haven't been No. 1 in the Coaches Poll since early 2000, after they beat Virginia Tech to claim the national championship. Despite the prolonged absence, Florida State has still been No. 1 in 54 polls since 1991, the most of any team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
There will be no argument among the top two, even if Ohio State struggled defensively in a 42-41 win against Michigan. The Buckeyes will slide up a spot to No. 2 as the only other unbeaten among the automatic-qualifying conferences.
Then things get messy. How fall with Alabama fall? Certainly below Auburn, which has made an extremely strong case for being ranked third. Alabama could dip only to No. 4, ahead of fellow one-loss teams like Missouri, Oklahoma State and Baylor. By remaining among the top four, the Crimson Tide remain very much in the mix for the national championship �?? though it's hard to imagine a scenario coming to pass where Nick Saban and his team play for a record third title in a row.
The Southeastern Conference might not play for an eighth national title in a row, but the league will dominate the top half of this week's Coaches Poll. Five teams will rank among the top 10: Auburn, Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina and LSU. The Gamecocks notched yet another rivalry win against Clemson, dealing the Tigers a tough blow in their quest for an at-large BCS bid.
The irony, of course, is that after years of being derided as not in the SEC's stratosphere, the ACC and Big Ten will inhabit the top two spots in this week's poll �?? and likely stand one win away from sending teams to the BCS National Championship Game. For the first time in many years, the SEC will enter the year's final weekend of the regular season on the outside of the championship race.
But the SEC will continue to make its case for inclusion in the national title game. After seven years of dominance �?? seven years, seven championships �?? the SEC could cite its league-wide depth as cause for moving a one-loss team ahead of Ohio State in the Coaches Poll. That case would be strengthened further after next weekend, when one of Missouri or Auburn will move into the postseason as the one-loss SEC champs.
Along the back end of the poll, a team like Fresno State could suffer a steep slide after its first loss of the season. The Bulldogs, now 10-1, were eliminated from the BCS race by San Jose State. Another two teams could fall out of the poll altogether in Texas A&M and USC.
Teams moving up in the poll:
1. Northern Illinois. The Huskies benefit from their 12th win and Fresno's loss. With one game to go, NIU stands a win away from another BCS berth.
2. Iowa. Closing the regular season with wins against Michigan and Nebraska should give Iowa a huge boost heading into next season.
3. Arizona State. ASU has been tremendously underrated in the Coaches Poll throughout the season. That should change heading into the Pac-12 title game.
Teams moving down in the poll:
1. Wisconsin. The Badgers did their BCS hopes a great disservice by losing at home to Penn State.
2. East Carolina. A painful loss to Marshall �?? one that gave the Thundering Herd the Conference USA East Division �?? kills ECU's quest for a national ranking.
3. Central Florida. While still in the driver's seat in the American Athletic Conference, voters might not be impressed by UCF"s narrow win against South Florida.
Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg.
Copyright 2014 USATODAY.comRead the original story: Poll Lookahead: Questions after the top two spots
Unbeaten Florida State and Ohio State are expected to rank 1-2 in the new polls today. A link to this page will be included in your message.
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Lane Gries Hired as Strength and Conditioning Coach
Storm Lake, Iowa
Buena Vista Director of Athletics Christyn Abaray has announced the hiring of Lane Gries, who will begin his duties as head Strength and Conditioning Coach, beginning Monday, October 1.
Gries has been serving as an athletic performance graduate assistant at Baylor University since January of 2012, where he has assisted in the football programming and workout implementations, designed and led the acrobatics & tumbling and equestrian workouts, while also supervising the men’s and women’s track & field training sessions. He’s also been in charge of directing all aspects of facility management for all Sports Performance facilities.
“We are excited to have Lane Gries on board as our head Strength and Conditioning Coach,” says Abaray. “He brings a breadth of knowledge and training strategies that will greatly benefit our student-athletes and the larger campus community. We are looking forward to Lane putting his stamp on our strength and conditioning program and helping our BVU student-athletes push to their potential.”
Before his stint at Baylor, Lane served as an olympic-sport intern at the University of Iowa from August of 2011 until January of 2012. During that time, he supervised team workouts for the swimming, track & field, men’s basketball and baseball programs. He also led the men’s basketball advanced workout groups and also developed workouts for women’s rowing, men’s basketball and men’s/women’s swimming.
In addition to his role with the Hawkeyes, he also served as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Fit2Live Gym in Iowa City from May of 2010 until leaving for Baylor.
“I’m truly excited about becoming a part of Buena Vista University,” Gries says. “I’m looking forward to stepping into a relatively new strength and conditioning program and being able to build and lead a strong foundation into the future.”
Gries received his B.A. degree in Health and Sports Studies-Health Promotion Emphasis from the University of Iowa in December of 2010.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to be back in the state of Iowa,” he adds. “This is where I’ve wanted to end up all along. To be able to be back here and to run my own program is extremely exciting.”
Before beginning his undergraduate studies, Lane, a native of Onawa, Iowa, served multiple combat duties in Iraq as a Rifleman in the United States Marine corps from June of 2003 through June of 2007.
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Recreation Board discusses new soccer fields, manager’s job description
Oct 14, 2009 | 0 | 11 | | The Trigg County Recreation Board discussed the idea of having one or more soccer fields at the complex, for use by, among others, Trigg County Youth Soccer, when they met Monday night at the complex convention center.Recreation Board Chairman Ralph Thomas told two representatives of Trigg County Youth Soccer that they need to have an elected board with a chairman and a constitution, and that such actions will take care of many of their headaches.The two representatives also said they have at least a couple of soccer fields near Lake Barkley that they would like to continue to use, and added that they hoped for support from the complex board.Thomas said most of the responsibilities would fall to their soccer board when it forms, and that while the complex board can endorse soccer rules, it can’t enforce them, as that will be one of the responsibilities of the soccer board.The board also discussed the job description for the new Recreation Complex Manager, although no decision was made, and a special called meeting on the subject will be held on Monday, Oct. 26.As had been announced earlier, Thomas said Recreation Complex Manager Jerry Radford’s resignation will be effective Monday, Feb. 1.Among other things, the new complex manager will have to stay at the complex until all of the lights go out, Thomas said.Mentioned in the discussion was the idea of having an intern from Murray State University help whoever replaces Radford.Complex Board Member and Trigg County Magistrate Larry Lawrence pointed out that the new manager’s contract will be for one year, and after that, the manager’s contract can be renewed or ended.The board also discussed adding electrical hook-ups for recreation vehicles at the complex, although no action was taken. Lawrence said that after talking with RV owners that have stopped at the complex, he believes water hook-ups are at least equally important.It was the first meeting with Jason Strickland, who was appointed to the board by the Trigg County Fiscal Court at their regular meeting the week before.
TRACK AND FIELD: Two from Trigg in top 3 of long jump at Hoptown
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The Final 49: The First Fall
By Tom Whitestone
Fall is here, that's for sure. Leaves are turning. Mornings are colder. Shadows grow longer.
Believe it or not, this time next year, the 49ers will be preparing for Game #7 - on the road at Charleston Southern (Oct. 26). Charlotte will have already played six games, five at home. The historic season will be underway.
After all the firsts we have celebrated: the first recruiting class, the first workouts, the first time they put on the helmet - it's hard to believe that a year from now we will have moved past those firsts and onto seconds, thirds and fourths.
Sure, there are still plenty in front of us: the first time inside the stadium walls, the first spring game and of course the historic first, coming on August 31st.
That will lead to the first kick off, the first tackle and the first touchdown.
And these guys out here on this field, busting it at practice on these colorful, cooler and shadowed days, dream of being a part of those firsts, which still seem so very far away but are getting closer by the minute.
Right now, with the team's initial workouts nearly two months old, this group of guys is well beyond so many firsts - but still eyeing several more.
Who will rush for the first first down? Who will record the first sack? Who will catch the first pass? Who will recover the first fumble?
About 80 players are out at practice hoping to be a key figure in 49ers history.
Of course, we know they already are.
The firsts these players have been a part of may not be recorded by statistics. I mean, I don't ever recall seeing mention of the rollcall of players who attended the first team meeting in any record book.
But these are those guys. These are the first to set foot in the locker room. These are the first to run out to the practice fields. And these are the first to pull that gear on -- to sprint, to dive, to sweat for the green and white.
Years from now, people will think of 2013 as the inaugural season. People will grab a 2013 game program to remember the first team. People will think of the game days in autumn as the first fall. But people will be wrong.
For all those vital firsts that will come next year - there's one big second.
Because, no matter what the record books will say. No matter how much pomp and circumstance accompanies the inaugural game. No matter how we crave Kickoff 2013. For Charlotte 49ers football - this is the first fall. #Kickoff2013
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Focus on News
Covey, Chesapeake team up in volleyball
WYE MILLS It´s nine months until the first game, but the Chesapeake College women´s volleyball program has already registered a huge victory.
Chesapeake College announced Tuesday that Jay Covey, who built the Colonel Richardson High School program into a North Bayside powerhouse, will be the Skipjacks´ head women´s volleyball coach. Covey will be re-launching a program that was discontinued by the college in the late 1990s.
"We think the hiring of Jay Covey brings instant credibility to our women´s volleyball program," said Chesapeake College Athletic Director Frank Szymanski. "Jay is a proven winner and he has tremendous connections both with local high school and travel-team programs."
Covey said he is excited about the prospect of bringing back volleyball to Chesapeake College.
"I´m looking forward to starting a new tradition at Chesapeake," said Covey, a four-time Mid-Shore Coach of the Year who led Colonel Richardson to five North Bayside titles and two regional championships in 16 seasons as head coach.
Covey, a 1977 graduate of Colonel Richardson who owns Xpert Xpress, already has experience with building a program from scratch at his alma mater.
Colonel Richardson´s volleyball program, winless the season before his arrival, compiled a 186-113 record during his coaching tenure. Covey produced four Mid-Shore Players of the Year along with 19 first-team and 20 second-team all-Bayside selections.
"I get great satisfaction making a difference in the lives of the athletes that I have the privilege to coach," said Covey, who is married and the father of five children ranging in age from four to 15. "I have always preached positive and winning attitudes, which kids will need in life to succeed."
Covey has also coached youth and adult volleyball, coached both boys´ and girls´ teams in the South Caroline Little League, and played adult volleyball and softball. He has spent a decade sitting on the South Caroline Little League Board, six years on the South Caroline United By Athletics (SCUBA) Board, and three years as treasurer of the Mid-Shore Volleyball Club.
"Jay is very rooted in the community," said Szymanski. "It´s one of the many reasons we think Jay will be perfect in this role."
Szymanski said Covey´s hiring is just the latest step the college has taken to try to upgrade women´s athletics.
"Our softball program (20-10 in 2006) is really flourishing under Melissa Thompson, and Lowell Shaw has taken great strides in women´s basketball (record-tying seven wins last season)," said Szymanski. "Our goal with Jay´s hiring is to try to build a competitive fall women´s program to complement what we are doing in the winter and spring sports seasons."
back If there is inaccurate information on this page, please send correction or comments to: Marcie Molloy
Copyright 2010 © Chesapeake College, P.O. Box 8, Wye Mills, MD 21679 410-822-5400 | Safety & Security | Employment
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Cartersville native hired as New Mexico assistant men’s golf coach
Sep 10, 2013 | 670 views | 0 | 22 | | The University of New Mexico announced last month the hiring of Cartersville native Jim Garren as an assistant coach for the men’s golf team “I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Millican’s staff at UNM,” Garren said. “The Lobos have a very rich and storied tradition that spans over the decades. What they have been able to accomplish here over the years is outstanding, and under Glen’s leadership they have reached heights never reached before. That speaks a lot about him and his players. I also want to thank Mr. Paul Krebs for the opportunity to join the Lobo family and be a part of this great department.”Garren spent the past five seasons as assistant men’s golf coach and director of recruiting at the University of Southern Mississippi.The Lobos won the Mountain West and NCAA Columbus Regional championships last season, and finished fifth in the NCAA Championships, tying for the second-best performance in school history.During the Garren’s tenure, the Golden Eagles established team records for the lowest 18-hole score in team history (274 during the 2010 Sam Hill Intercollegiate), the lowest 18-, 36- and 54-hole score by an individual player (by Derek Plucienski at the 2010 Sam Hill Intercollegiate), and the best finish in a conference tournament (second place at the 2010 Conference USA Championship, tying the previous school record).Southern Mississippi also produced four Academic All-Americans during Garren’s five-year stay there. The school had just two Academic All-Americans all-time prior to his arrival.“We’re very excited to have Jim as part of our program; we feel like he’s going to be a great fit for us,” head coach Glen Millican said. “His experience at Southern Mississippi the past five years will benefit us in recruiting as well as help us continue on the path we want the program to take.”
Butler to leave Cartersville High
Lady Canes win, 10-0
Will powers Lady Canes
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Snedeker a nice guy who can really play
The Presidents Cup 2013
See videos, stories and photos from the Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin.
Tami Chappell | REUTERS
Brandt Snedeker, known for a tearful 2008 Masters loss, exulted in his 2012 Tour Championship win giving him the FedEx Cup.
• Wednesday October 2, 2013 5:00 AM
Often in sports, the “nice guy” tab is really code for “he lacks talent.”
The first baseman can’t hit a lick, but he’s friendly.
The quarterback throws more interceptions than touchdowns, but he signs every autograph request.
The golfer ranks 224th in the world, but he smiles on the course.
Then there’s Brandt Snedeker.
He is friendly, signs autographs, smiles on the course — and is ranked No. 9 in the world.
Snedeker finished second in the Presidents Cup standings, trailing only Tiger Woods, who last week was named PGA Tour player of the year.
Yes, “Sneds” has talent. He also has humility, a trait that has won him admirers for the way he keeps his promising career in perspective.
“Everybody tries to lavish praise on guys so quickly out here,” he said recently. “I’ve only won six times. I think Tiger has done that in one year a couple of times, so I’ve got a long way to go.”
He’s making strides quickly.
The Vanderbilt graduate — who still lives near Nashville, Tenn. —won the FedExCup last season and collected two wins this season: the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the RBC Canadian Open, the latter coming with help from second-round leader Hunter Mahan, who withdrew after his wife went into labor.
Asked what baby present he planned to buy the Mahans, Snedeker said: “It’s going to be a nice gift, I’ll tell you that.”
Snedeker’s wife, Mandy, marvels at her husband’s “heart of gold.”
“Brandt ... is one of the most-pure, -genuine people I have ever met,” she said. “He loves giving and would much rather buy a gift for someone else than for himself. There is nothing fake about him.”
A wife’s story: “He worked at his parents’ pawn shop growing up, so he knows a ton about jewelry. One of my favorite gifts he ever gave me is the heart-shaped diamond necklace — it’s a diamond that he picked out from the pawn shop when he was young for the girl he would marry one day.”
Aww.
Snedeker is a sentimental Southern gentleman, prone to emotional displays that include his tearful 2008 Masters, after he lost the lead and the tournament with a final-round 77.
Such emotion has endeared him to golf fans who appreciate that he is more human than swing robot.
Even his golf game is more about nuance than Neanderthal: As one of the tour’s best putters, he doesn’t grip-it-and-rip-it as much as he feels it.
But he isn’t content to rely on the short stick.
“The last two years, I’ve been kind of relying on my putter and waiting for those weeks where I did hit it good enough where I could take advantage of it,” he said. “Seems like I’ve been getting more and more consistent with my long game and just cleaning up everything.”
Or ironing out everything?
“He does all the ironing in the house,” Mandy Snedeker said.
The next step for Snedeker, 32, is to play his best on the biggest stages.
“I’m in the prime of my career right now. I feel like the next three or four years are going to be really important for me,” he said. Winning majors — “where you really find out where your game stacks up against the best in the world” — is the ultimate goal, he said.
The Presidents Cup presents an opportunity for Snedeker to shine on one of golf’s grand settings.
Although the match-play format is challenging, he said, he is eager to improve on his 1-2 record at last year’s Ryder Cup.
“I’m looking forward to getting back into a team competition and trying to reverse that outcome,” he said. “Match play is completely different than stroke play.
“You have a different mentality, a different sort of pressure when you’re playing on a team atmosphere.”
@rollerCD Favorite
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49ers WR Michael Crabtree will return to practice soon
By Matt De Lima, Saturday, August 4, 2012 9:02:34 AM CDT FFToolbox.com
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree hasn't been to practice at all this week due to a lower leg injury. The team has been quiet about specifics since they are not required to disclose as much information at this time of the year. Head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters that his injury "wasn't serious" and anticipates he'll return soon. Crabtree was seen running sprints near the practice field as part of his rehabilitation.
Crabtree is now infamous for having missed so much training camp not only this season, but in his entire NFL career. Whether it was injuries or holding out as a rookie, Crabtree has preferred to go about things his own way. The wide receiver crew in San Francisco has a lot of interesting talent, there's just no way of knowing how it will all play out. For what it's worth, Crabtree did have a career-year last season, but with the addition of Randy Moss and Mario Manningham , it is unlikely any of them emerge as a reliable fantasy threat.
FFB, Send Michael Crabtree to the New Jersey Generals for a future pick. He has been a clog in the works since he was picked. He doesn't deserve to wear a Forty Niner uniform! JJ
jak3488 08/04/12 04:13 PM
Matt De Lima - Follow on Twitter
Matt is a football field. He is a published sportswriter who contributes here at FFToolbox.com, 4for4.com and many other sports sites. His concise and straightforward fantasy expertise has been featured here since 2010. Follow him on Twitter (@mattkdelima) to talk sports and engage in some personalized fantasy discussion.
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Chargin back with Golden Boy
Golden Boy Promotions has announced that Hall of Fame promoter and matchmaker Don Chargin will renew his affiliation with Golden Boy Promotions as a special consultant and advisor effective immediately. “I am thrilled to have Don back at Golden Boy,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Richard Schaefer. “His advice and guidance has been and will continue to be very valuable to us. His Hall of Fame credentials and track record speak for themselves. Golden Boy has recently expanded its network and venue deals and as a result has started to sign some of the most promising young fighters and Don will be involved on a daily basis in the guidance and development of these young fighters’ careers. His knowledge and expertise in this industry will assist in building the younger generation of fighters of today into the future champions of tomorrow.” Don Chargin commented, “I have the utmost respect for Oscar and Richard and their team and how they have strategically built Golden Boy into one of the leading boxing promotional companies in the world. I will have a regular presence at their office and events and look forward to working with Richard and assisting him with Golden Boy’s continued growth and expansion. Golden Boy is a company of champions and it is my pleasure to work with their team to recruit and build the champions of tomorrow.”
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Connect me or another page to Eugene Lipscomb?
Former sportswriter Choc Hutcheson, of Lubbock, Texas, on how to solve t
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Eugene Allen "Gene" Lipscomb (August 9, 1931 - May 10, 1963) was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League and a professional wrestler. He was known by the nickname "Big Daddy".
Born in Uniontown, Alabama, Lipscomb never knew his father, and moved to Detroit with his mother at the age of 3. When he was 11, his mother was murdered in the neighborhood where they lived and he moved in with his maternal grandparents.
Lipscomb didn't attend college and was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Rams. But, not before serving time in the Marines. He spent his service at Camp Pendleton. Then, he played for the Rams for three seasons from 1953-1955. He then played for theBaltimore Colts for five seasons. In two of the seasons he played for the Colts, 1958 and 1959, he earned a spot in the Pro Bowl. He then went on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers for two seasons. During his '59-'60 & '60-'61 off-seasons, Lipscomb worked as a professional wrestler.
On May 10, 1963, Eugene Lipscomb died of an overdose of heroin on Brice Street in Baltimore, MD at the apartment of Timothy Black
Former sportswriter Choc Hutcheson, of Lubbock, Texas, on how to solve the Berlin crisis: "Induct Big Daddy Lipscomb [the 288-pound Pittsburgh Steeler] and send him to Berlin in Army fatigues marked small."
The brief career of "Big Daddy" Lipscomb "Big Daddy" Gene Lipscomb was a larger-than-life football player, a unique physical specimen, colorful and memorable, and completely suitable for a side career in pro wrestling. Yet, before he hardly got started, he was done wrestling, and then dead at the age of 31.
Born in Uniontown, Alabama on August 9, 1931, Lipscomb never knew his father, and moved to Detroit with his mother at the age of three. When he was 11, his mother was murdered in the ghetto where they lived and he moved in with his maternal grandparents, where things weren't much better. He worked from a young age, paying room and board to live with his grandparents.
A star football player at Miller High School in Detroit, Lipscomb didn't go to college. Instead, he was discovered by the Los Angeles Rams while in a Marine Corps camp in California. At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, he was a monster for his day, suiting up as a defensive tackle for the Rams (1953-1955), Baltimore Colts (1956-1960) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1961-1962).
He dominated football games the way few defensive players ever had. He did receive his share of honors too, including the Dan McGuire Award as the Pro Bowl's best lineman in both 1960 and 1963; he was on two Colts championship teams as well. Former Steelers head coach Buddy Parker had high praise for Lipscomb: "The best man I ever saw at knocking people down."
Sports Illustrated's William Nack summed up Lipscomb's impact on the game in a lengthy feature in January 1999. "He was, in fact, the prototype of the modern lineman, the first 300-pound Bunyan endowed not only with enormous power but also with the two qualities usually denied men of his size: agility and speed. His belly did not roll out of his pants. He was hard and trim, and the fastest interior lineman in the league."
A long-lived quote from "Big Daddy"-- he got the nickname because he used to call people he couldn't remember the name of "Little Daddy" -- carries on his legacy, which came to an abrupt and controversial end on May 10, 1963. "I just wrap my arms around the whole backfield and peel 'em one by one until I get to the ball carrier. Him I keep."
In a column on ESPN.com, Hunter S. Thompson on ESPN described Lipscomb: "Gene 'Big Daddy' Lipscomb was arguably the cruelest pass rusher in NFL history. He was a violent junkie who invented the dreaded roundhouse whack upside the head -- directly on the ear-hole of his victim's helmet -- that often burst both eardrums of any hapless offensive linemen he could reach. Big Daddy weighed 300 pounds and he really wanted to hurt people. And he did -- but he is not in the Hall of Fame."
Sounds like the perfect fit for professional wrestling, no?
Yet, generally in the ring, he wanted to portray a hero.
"Big Daddy" Lipscomb in action.Photo by Lawrence Schiller, courtesy The SPORT Collection
In June 1961, SPORT Magazine devoted a four-page photo essay with a short article to Big Daddy Lipscomb's wrestling sideline. "Big Daddy-King of the Football Wrestlers" proclaimed the headline, surrounded by Lawrence Schiller photos of Lipscomb relaxing watching TV, getting a suit custom made, arriving at the arena, getting ready to wrestle, and in the ring.
The gist of the SPORT article is that Big Daddy was going out of his way to be a "good guy" in the ring, as opposed to his vicious on-the-field reputation. "Nobody," he explained, "is going to say that Big Daddy is a mean man."
"Even when an opponent gouges and kicks, and the fans holler for revenge, Big Daddy won't be drawn out of his clean-fighting shell," describes the article.
The other impression that the writer of the SPORT piece took away was that Lipscomb was a quiet, respectful man in the wrestling locker room, where he was still a relative neophyte. In the football locker room, he is a joker and a "great kidder."
Lipscomb entered wrestling initially inspired, at least in part, by the successes of football greats Leo Nomellini and Verne Gagne. (He would team with both on occasion during his brief career.) But his wrestling career never really amounted to much, no more than a part-time gig in the off-seasons of 1959-60 and 1960-61.
Yet, to him, it served a purpose. "I am in wrestling because I think it is good for football players," he told writer-photographer Earle Yetter in 1961. "If I wrestle three or four nights a week during the off-season, I will not have much trouble getting down to my proper weight for the new season, because by wrestling I have kept an edge on my physical condition."
In the SPORT article, he praised the conditioning of pro wrestlers, describing how much harder it was to go out seven nights a week for combat rather than once a week in football. Yet, there is little doubt that Lipscomb got BIGGER during his off-season spent in the ring. After a hot night of wrestling, he was known to drink a case of pop. Legend has it that his breakfast generally was a dozen eggs, a pound of bacon and a bottle of whiskey.
"Big Daddy" made the rounds more as an attraction rather than just a regular homesteader in a territory. Records show he was everywhere from Toronto to Columbus, Ohio, to Minneapolis, to Hawaii, to Los Angeles.
On the Wrestling Classic newsboard, Lou Thesz once offered up a comment on Lipscomb. "I never wrestled him, but I trained with him. Joe Malciweicz told him he could wrestle, but he lied to him. He was a great football player and natural athlete, but really liked the night life."
"Big Daddy Lipscomb drank, screwed and dominated football games," said his Steelers teammate, defensive back Brady Keys, on one occasion.
Married three times, Big Daddy had an insatiable appetite for women. One Rams teammate told Sports Illustrated that Lipscomb had a particular thing for hotel maids.
On May 10, 1963, all the merriment came to an end. After a night of drinking and partying with two women, Big Daddy collapsed in a kitchen in Baltimore. He had overdosed on heroin. According to theSports Illustrated profile, the city's assistant medical examiner, Dr. Rudiger Breitenecker, found enough dope inside him to have killed five men. Lipscomb died in the ambulance bearing him to Lutheran Hospital.
Lipscomb is buried at in Michigan at Lincoln Memorial Park, Macomb County (near Mt. Clemens). Added by
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Allardyce wants 'fit Beckham'
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has reportedly voiced his desire to bring David Beckham to Upton Park - as long as the former England captain can prove his fitness.
David Beckham: Has been linked with a return to East London with West Ham The 37-year-old midfielder, who was born in East London, this week stated his intention to leave the Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the year.
Beckham stated he will depart Galaxy following the December 1st MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo, saying he wanted "one last challenge" before the end of his playing career.
The Hammers have been one of a number of clubs linked with him since, while Paris St Germain and clubs in China and Australia are also thought to be keen.
The Sun quotes Allardyce as saying: "Yes, I would like to see a fit David Beckham at West Ham.
"But he would need to come and do a fitness test like any other player."
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Tom Lipari
A native of Omaha, Tom Lipari grew up wanting to follow in his father Ted’s footsteps, who played for the Bluejays from 1973-76. That dream became a reality in the fall of 2012 when Lipari became Creighton’s new pitching coach.
Despite entering 2013 with just three returning pitchers, Lipari helped guide the Bluejays to a 30-win season. Two players that specifically improved under Lipari’s tutaledge were Tommy Strunc and Mark Lukowski. A redshirt freshman in 2013, Strunc quickly grew into the Bluejay ace and went on to earn Freshman All-American honors. Lukowski, meanwhile, went from four appearances (3.2 innings) in 2012 to one of Creighton’s first options out of the bullpen with a team-leading 2.22 ERA in 48.2 innings and a 4-2 record.
Lipari came to Creighton following two years at Pittsburgh, where he brought immediate success to the Panthers’ pitching staff. With the Panthers, Lipari guided two pitchers to the MLB Entry Draft in his first season, also leading an All-BIG EAST selection (Matt Iannazzo) in his first year on the bench. In 2012 Lipari guided Iannazzo to his third All-BIG EAST honor, also being selected into the Chicago Cubs organization. In his final season at Pittsburgh, Lipari led the Panthers pitching staff to the fewest walks (159) in the BIG EAST and ranked among the elite teams in innings pitched and strikeouts.
Before joining the Panthers, he spent two years at Youngstown State (2009-10), serving as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator in addition to heading the squad’s strength and conditioning regimens.
Lipari was a volunteer assistant at Michigan State from 2007-08, where his primary duties were handling the day-to-day development of the MSU pitching staff. He also served as the director of David Grewe’s Top 9 Baseball Camps, which include the Fall Prospect Camp, the Winter Pro-Scout Development Camp and all summer camps. Prior to arriving in East Lansing, Lipari served as the pitching coach for the St. Cloud Riverbats, the 2007 Northwoods Collegiate Summer League Champions. He got his start in coaching as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa from 2005-07.
After graduating from Benson High School in 1997, Lipari played two seasons at Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, Iowa, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Junior College World Series his freshman season. After his first season with the Falcons, Lipari was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the June amateur draft.
Opting not to sign with the Cubs, Lipari attended the University of New Orleans (UNO) under head coach Randy Bush. In his two years with the Privateers, he became the only pitcher in UNO history to throw a nine inning no-hitter when he accomplished the feat against 19th-ranked Southern Mississippi. He also became the fourth pitcher in New Orleans history to record over 100 strikeouts in a season. He continued his playing career moving on to the San Diego Padres organization, spending time with three different farm teams. He was traded into the Houston Astros organization in 2004, playing with the Salem Avalanche before concluding his playing career with a two-year stint with the Sioux City Explorers in 2005-06.
Lipari and his wife, the former Rebecca Blackman, are both originally from Omaha, Neb. Servais on Lipari:
“Tom might have had the most difficult job of anybody last year. He was new to the program and eight of his top 11 pitchers were freshmen. Tom is very patient, I think that helped the players adapt to his style and personality well throughout the year. His effect is obvious as you can see a lot of improvement on the mound last season and I believe that will only continue this season.”
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Lady Falcon Basketball Adds Walters to Coaching Staff for 2011-2012 Campaign May 26, 2011MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Pfeiffer University women’s basketball head coach Jill Thomas announced the addition of Becca Walters as assistant coach with the Lady Falcons basketball program on Thursday morning. Walters joins Pfeiffer after a successful playing career at Black Hill State University and working career at some of basketball’s top levels. Walters graduated from Black Hills State in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science after an Academic All-American performance with the Yellow Jackets. Walters played on the ’08 team her senior season that progressed into their first conference championship with a school-record 28-win season. Walters moves to the Village after a two-and-a-half year stint with the NBDL’s Sioux Falls Skyforce as an in-season staff member working with media, fans and clients. Walters also brings experience after working with the Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) and Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) in sales and public relations after starting her post-playing days with the Indiana Pacers in the same field. The 2011-2012 season opener for the Lady Falcons is currently set to begin the second weekend of November at the Lenoir-Rhyne tournament. FALCON VISION
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Be a Coach! Apply today.
about girls on the run: Mission & History Mission & History
Girls on the Run International
The mission of Girls on the Run of the Bay Area is to educate and build confidence in young girls through non-competitive, curriculum-based running programs in San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, San Mateo, and Contra Costa Counties.
Founded in 2002, Girls on the Run of the Bay Area is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and an Independent Council of Girls on the Run International. Girls on the Run of the Bay Area launched its first program in fall 2002 with five girls. Today, more than 500 girls participate in our programs each year and we continue to add new program sites throughout the Bay Area.
Girls on the Run of the Bay Area provides an innovative running program for girls ages 8 to 13 that uses experiential learning to teach very specific and well-defined social and personal skills. The program culminates in a non-competitive community running event that gives the girls a chance to shine and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Girls on the Run of the Bay Area offers 10-week programs during the fall and spring seasons. Volunteer coaches engage the girls in games and running-based workouts that encourage emotional, social, psychological and physical development. The girls meet twice each week after school for a total of 20 one-hour sessions. Objectives We provide a safe environment where girls can express themselves, build confidence, and learn from each other. We believe it is critical to reach girls at an early age in order to teach them these important life lessons and to prevent at-risk behavior such as eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, obesity, and adolescent pregnancies. Proud Sponsors:
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Dundas Real McCoys win 2014 Allan Cup
Browse By Category Happy 40th! Looking Back at The Red Deer Rustlers' National Title
Derek Jory
RBC.016.10
› 2010 RBC Cup
When retired hockey players share stories of the glory days, typically they’re to be taken with a grain of
salt.
Every game, it seems, was the biggest ever played, while every goal and every save was more breathtaking
than the last.
Dale Henwood and Perry Pearn make no such claims, they didn’t play for the championship of the world and
that’s just fine.
What they did do was help the Red Deer Rustlers hoist the Centennial Cup as Canada’s first national Junior
A champions in 1971, a victory that began a rich tradition of junior hockey in one of the most respected
tournaments in the country.
The 2010 RBC Cup in Dauphin marks the 40th anniversary since Henwood, Pearn and company first set the
standard for championship-caliber hockey; over the years 27 different teams have taken their turn in the
spotlight, led by the Vernon Vipers, who have won a record five national titles, and the Prince Albert
Raiders, who won four titles in a six-year span in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s with legendary coach Terry
Simpson behind the bench.
Over 100 players who appeared in the National Junior A Championship have gone on to play at least one game
in the NHL, including current big leaguers Rod Brind’Amour, Scott Gomez, Willie Mitchell, Scottie Upshall and
Mason Raymond.
Every championship player and team has their own story of glory, but they don’t get any better than the
Red Deer Rustlers versus the Charlottetown Islanders in 1971 when the national final was a best-of-seven
Henwood and Pearn were young, 20-something pups when they captured the inaugural Centennial Cup; both were
as wild as the gun-slinging cowboy on their jerseys. Not surprisingly, they each remember Red Deer’s run to
supremacy like it took place last week.
“It’s a funny feeling that it’s that long ago, the good part about it is that there are still some vivid
memories too from those times,” said Pearn, currently an assistant coach with the NHL’s Montreal
Canadiens.
“I remember in the Alberta/B.C. playoff we met Penticton and I know that we lost the first two games out
there, it was a wild and woolly series and there were a couple of bench emptiers early on, then we came back
to Red Deer and played hockey and we won the next four straight.”
Red Deer carried that momentum into a sweep of the St. Boniface Saints in the western final en route to a
date with Charlottetown in the east vs. west national championship, a series the Rustlers won 4-2.
“One of the things that stands out the most is that the annual Silver Buckle Rodeo was in Red Deer so
during our series in Winnipeg, our home games were in Taber, Alberta,” recalled Henwood, who today serves as
president of Canadian Sport Centre Calgary.
“Then we played all six games on the road in Charlottetown in the final. I remember it being close and
rough and we weren’t a stacked team by any means, I’d say we might have been underdogs from the standpoint of
playing all the games on the road. That was difficult.”
The Rustlers won eight of their final 10 games, all away from home, to claim the title of national junior
A champions, a distinction that is still as dear to Henwood and Pearn today as it was 40 years ago.
“As a 19- or 20-year-old guy, I didn’t realize how significant it was until now, these many years later,
I’ve watched the tournament become part of the fabric of hockey in Canada,” said Pearn.
Added Henwood: “We just had a good group of players that played well together and really supported each
other. That made it absolutely special and something to be proud of even all these years later.”
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Old National To Sponsor Armed Forces Bump Day At IMS May 03, 2013 | By Tom Surbuer Old National To Sponsor Armed Forces Bump Day At IMS
Old National Bank has been named the title partner of the annual Armed Forces Bump Day on Sunday, May 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 97th Indianapolis 500, Old National and IMS officials announced May 3.
Old National Armed Forces Bump Day is the final day of qualifying for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” All active members of the military in uniform or who show military identification at the gate will be admitted free.
Gates open at 7:30 a.m., with practice from 9-10 a.m. and qualifying from noon-6 p.m.
The partnership between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Old National brings together two longstanding Indiana-based companies.
“We look forward to joining with Old National in saluting the dedication and sacrifice of our nation’s armed forces and hope the military members enjoy a fun day at the track,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and chief executive officer. “We are grateful to Old National for this partnership and for their support of this special day.”
Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Old National Bancorp is the largest financial services bank holding company headquartered in Indiana, boasting a 178-year history. Old National is a top-100 insurance broker and the 10th largest bank-affiliated insurance brokerage in the U.S.
“As Indiana’s largest community bank, Old National is honored to partner with the icon of Indiana sports to salute our veterans and all the brave men and women who are actively serving in the United States military,” said Bob Jones, Old National Bank president and chief executive officer. “We hope many of them and their families will join us at the Speedway for this special day of fun and festivities.”
Fans can get a free, souvenir-sized American flag at Old National kiosks located around the IMS Pagoda Plaza, while supplies last, to salute America’s military heroes. Old National also will offer discounts on admission tickets for Old National Armed Forces Bump Day to customers at its Indianapolis-area bank locations through Friday, May 17.
An extraordinary collection of military vehicles and equipment will be on display around the IMS Pagoda Plaza during Old National Armed Forces Bump Day. The exhibit will include an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle, an M117 Armed Security Vehicle, an MTVR troop carrier and large cargo truck, an M1117 Armed Security Vehicle, an M1200 Armored Knight, an M966 TOW Weapon Carrier High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (or Humvee) and an M113 Humvee.
Special activities during Old National Armed Forces Bump Day will include an Armed Forces Enlistment Ceremony for new members entering all branches of the U.S. military at 11:10 a.m. at the base of the Pagoda on the Yard of Bricks.
Wish For Our Heroes, a national, non-profit organization based in Noblesville, Ind., that provides tickets to active United States military or veterans for Indianapolis Motor Speedway events, will offer fans the opportunity to participate in the Hero Zone during Old National Armed Forces Bump Day. Hero Zone military training exercises include a tire jump, a culvert crawl, a simulated grenade throw, a low crawl and the opportunity for fans to experience physical training in military gear.
Admission for non-military members on Old National Armed Forces Day at IMS is $15, with children 12 and under free. ***
2013 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 97th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday, May 26 at IMS.
Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can buy tickets online at www.ims.com/tickets, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Children 12 and under will be receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2013 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.
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Brian Kelly is named the AP Coach of the Year
Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly named coach of the year by AP - VIDEO
@kerryoshea December 20,2012
Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly has won the AP Coach of the Year award. ESPN reports on the honor, which is the first time the Fighting Irish have won it since the award’s conception in 1998. Coach Brian Kelly won 25 votes of the 48 votes cast, with Penn State’s Bill O’Brien coming in a distant second with 14 votes."When you're talking about the coach of the year, there's so many things that go into it," Kelly said. "I know it's an individual award and it goes to one guy, but the feelings that I get from it is you're building the right staff, that you've got the right players and to me that is a validation of the program. That you put together the right business plan."
Kelly has made an impressive turn with the otherwise struggling Fighting Irish, who last made a national championship appearance in 1988. In his three years at South Bend, he has managed to bring the team from unranked to headed for the BCS National Championship. Notre Dame will face off with Alabama in Miami on January 7 for the title.Kelly made successful runs at other colleges, but none that were as in the public eye as Notre Dame. "I think the job tends to distract you," Kelly said earlier this week. "There are a lot of things that pull you away from the primary reason why you want to be head coach of Notre Dame, and that is graduate your players and play for a national championship.”Coach Kelly’s work was cut out for him when he signed on to be head coach, and came to find that tuning into his team is an imperative element of being a successful team."Now, to do that you have to have the pulse of your football team and you've got to have relationships with your players. If you're already going around the country doing other things other than working with your football team, it's hard to have the pulse of your team."Despite helping to guide the Fighting Irish to a perfect season this year, Kelly’s passion is in the development of each individual player rather than winning titles."That's why I got into this. I want to develop 18 to 21 year olds. My development as the head coach at Notre Dame this year has been about getting back to why you would want to coach college players. You want to learn about them; you want to know their strengths and weaknesses; you want to help them with leadership skills; you want to help them when they're not feeling confident in their ability.”"For me, that is why it's been the most enjoyable year as the head coach at Notre Dame, is that I got a chance to spend more time with my team."Here, watch ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi chat with Notre Dame coaches Ara Parseghian, Lou Holtz, and Brian Kelly about sideline demeanor at South Bend: Submit MostPopular
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gameday promotions•
IU Softball Where Are They Now? - Peggy Martin
Indiana softball alumna Peggy Martin
During the 2006-07 campaign, IUHOOSIERS.com will catch up with some remarkable IU softball alumnae to see where life has taken them since their days as Hoosiers. Peggy Martin, who earned three letters for IU in the early 1970s, kicks off the season-long series. Peggy Martin, a former three-sport student-athlete for the Hoosiers and current head volleyball coach at Central Missouri State recently concluded one of the most unforgettable seasons of her career. The all-time winningest active volleyball coach at the NCAA Division II level, Martin notched her 1,000th career victory on Oct. 21.
A 1972 graduate of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), Martin captained the IU women's basketball team to three straight AIAW Tournament berths in addition to earning four letters in softball and three in field hockey. She later completed her doctorate in physical education at Indiana in 1980.
"I learned so much at Indiana," Martin said. "Being from Alabama, I went to IU by way of a miracle. I fell in love with Bloomington and my coaches. Every one of my coaches touched my life. I learned so much from each of them, and I was able to take so much away from them to find out what philosophy worked best for me. I enjoyed every experience I had at IU."
In 31 seasons with the Jennies, Peggy Martin holds a 1,000-262-8 (.791) record. Additionally, she is the dean of Central Missouri State University's coaching staff. Martin has mentored an impressive 26 All-Americans while at the helm of CMSU.
In April, she was inducted into her hometown Sports Hall of Fame in Mobile, Alabama.
Under Martin's guidance, the Jennies have won at least 25 matches for 29 straight seasons and have won or shared 19 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association crowns since the league began sponsoring the sport in 1982. Her teams have also made 23 NCAA Tournament appearances in a row, the most in Division II history, and have reached the Elite Eight seven times, highlighted by a national runner-up showing in 1987.
Martin has been chosen MIAA or Missouri AIAW State Coach of the Year a total of 15 times and AVCA South Central Region Coach of the Year on six occasions. She was selected as AVCA Division II National Coach of the Year in 1987 after directing the Jennies to their second-place NCAA Tournament finish and a 42-4 record.
Martin came to CMSU in 1975 as head volleyball and softball coach. In 11 years as the school's softball coach, she led the Jennies to a 174-156 record and two MIAA titles and was twice chosen league coach of the year.
Current Indiana head coach Stacey Phillips, who is now in her third season at the helm of the Hoosier program, believes Martin has paved the way for coaches and student-athlete much like herself.
"So many of us can learn a great deal from women like Coach Martin," Phillips said. "Not only was she a successful athlete and coach, but clearly a successful person all around. Women like Peggy are the ones that have paved the way for not only my generation of coaches, but also generations of players to have such phenomenal opportunities. Much thanks to Coach Martin for taking the bat and hitting a home run in life while setting such an impressive example."
Hoosier Classic
2014 Record Book 2014 Season Statistics 2014 Quick Facts Staff
Andy Mohr Field
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Cimini: Sunday notes: Idzik's first two blemishes
Thread: Cimini: Sunday notes: Idzik's first two blemishes
A quick check on the Jets: 1. Double trouble: John Idzik has a solid plan for rebuilding the Jets, but the plan isn't foolproof, as we now know. The new GM endured an Ike Davis kind of week, as he apparently has swung and missed on his first two free-agent signings -- QB David Garrard (retired) and RB Mike Goodson (arrested). Fortunately for the Jets, they weren't huge financial commitments, but that doesn't mean Idzik gets a pass. In both cases, he took a calculated risk -- and came up short. The idea of signing a player of Garrard's ilk was smart, but they bet on damaged goods. He spent two years out of football and his knee problems were widely known. An AFC personnel executive told me at the time of the signing, "His knee is a concern. He'll look fine in drills, but I don't know if he can take a hit." Turns out that Garrard, 35, couldn't cut it in drills, either, prompting his abrupt retirement. Now there's a hole in Idzik's quarterback plan. Goodson arrived with character concerns. There was nothing
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Mock trial team wins merely by competing
By Eric Fingerhut,JTA
http://www.jewishjournal.com/nation/article/mock_trial_team_wins_merely_by_competing_20090512
The record book will say that the Maimonides School finished 20th out of 40 teams at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Atlanta, winning two trials and losing two.
But that doesn’t include the team’s huge victory even before last weekend’s competition had started allowing the suburban Boston Jewish day school just to participate.
After repeatedly rejecting requests to alter the tournament schedule so the Maimonides team would not have to compete on Shabbat, tournament officials were finally forced to relent less than two days before the competition began thanks to a small group of determined activists working 20 hours a day over the past few weeks—as well as a Maimonides team that was prepared to forfeit its chance at a championship rather than compromise its beliefs.
“You always wonder what’s going to happen if religiousness gets in the way” of something you want to do, said team co-captain Michael Kosowsky, 17. But “we weren’t talking at all about violating Shabbat. We were pretty strong in our principles.”
“This educates the public,” said fellow co-captain Leah Sarna, 17. “Shabbat is not at all voluntary and not something you can compromise on.”
The 27-member Maimonides team, of which eight competed last weekend, learned about the Shabbat conflict in early April, not long after it won the Massachusetts state mock trial championship qualifying them for the national event.
Maimonides hoped that instead of having to compete in the customary two trials on Friday and two trials on Saturday, the mock trial organization would make an exception for the school and move its Saturday trials to Thursday, when all the competitors already are in attendance and practicing at the competition site, or add additional trials for Maimonides on Friday.
The organization argued that altering the schedule affected the fairness of the competition because matchups in later rounds are determined by the results from earlier rounds. The results, its officials said, cannot be utilized properly if Maimonides is participating in its fourth trial while nearly all the other squads have participated in only two.
There was precedent for the request: In 2005, the local sponsoring organization for the competition, the North Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, made a similar rescheduling to accommodate a New Jersey Jewish day school, the Torah Academy of Bergen County. Pressured by the lawyers’ group, the mock trial organization acquiesced after initially refusing the request, then passed a resolution saying it would not allow similar accommodations for Sabbath observers in the future.
As a result of that decision, the New Jersey and North Carolina mock trial groups resigned from the national organization and formed their own group that does not hold competitions on Shabbat.
So Jeff Kosowsky, Michael’s father, and Daniel Edelman, a Maimonides alumnus who was familiar with the issue because his wife is an English teacher at the Torah Academy of Bergen County, enlisted Washington lawyers Nathan and Alyza Lewin, who specialize in religious discrimination cases.
Working pro bono, the Lewins got the Justice Department to issue a letter to the administrator of the Georgia courts, warning that entities that receive federal funds cannot administer programs which discriminate on the basis of religion. The competition was scheduled to be held in the Fulton County Courthouse, which receives federal funds.
The Lewins, Kosowsky and Edelman also tried to convince the local host sponsor, the Georgia Bar Association, to take action, but the assocation said that while it was sympathetic, claimed its contract with the national mock trial organization tied its hands.
The Maimonides’ backers also alerted the media, with articles appearing on the situation in a major Atlanta legal publication and The New York Times.
On May 6, after one member of the Georgia Bar had resigned in protest, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Doris Downs told event organizers that they would not be able to use the Fulton County Courthouse for the competition unless they made accommodations for the Maimonides team. The organizers then decided to schedule a Thursday trial and three Friday trials for the Bostonians.
Michael Kosowsky said the three trials on Friday were “a little tiring,” but the team was pleased where it finished, considering it was its first trip to the national championship.
The schedule change was popular among the other teams in Atlanta, as well.
Michael Kosowsky said that on the day the Maimonides team arrived, a number of competitors noticed their kipot and told them, “We’re really hopeful you get the accommodations.”
The other teams were “very, very supportive,” Sarna said. “It really meant a lot to us.”
Both said it made perfect sense that their fellow mock trial competitors would be so interested in their plight.
“It’s a competition about the legal system,” Sarna said. “They’re the type of people who would care about this.”
Those involved in the mock trial effort say they hope that the mock trial organization will make a permanent Shabbat accommodation policy, either by changing the days of the week that the tournament is held or, minimally, having a rescheduling option when Sabbath observers—Jewish or Muslim—qualify for the competition.
The mock trial group doesn’t appear ready to change: On its Web site, the 20th-place finish of Maimonides is accompanied by an asterisk that notes the team’s “deviation from typical team advancement.”
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Danielle O'Banion, formerly associate head coach at Memphis, speaks during a press conference announcing her as head coach of the Kent State women's basketball team.
New Kent State women's basketball coach Danielle O'Banion talks with members of her team before a news conference announcing her appointment.
New women's basketball head coach Danielle O'Banion poses with the team following a press conference announcing her appointment.
Joel Neilsen, director of athletics, welcomes Danielle O'Banion as a member of the Golden Flashes.
Kent State Announces New Women's Basketball Coach
Kent State Announces Womens Basketball Coach
Former Memphis associate head coach becomes the fifth coach in program history.
Kent State University Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen has announced the hiring of Danielle O’Banion as women's basketball head coach. O’Banion takes over as the fifth head coach in the 37-year history of Kent State women’s basketball after spending the last four seasons on staff at Memphis. “Danielle possesses the characteristics we look for, not only as an institution, but within our department,” Nielsen said. “She's a very driven person and someone who’s very confident in her abilities. Her reputation as a winner and a proven national recruiter are sure to bring energy and success to our women’s basketball program.”
An 11-year coaching veteran, O’Banion takes over the Kent State program following her four-year stint in Memphis, including the last two as associate head coach. Owning the reputation as a proven national recruiter, she served as designated recruiting coordinator for the program, helping the Tigers ink three nationally-ranked recruiting classes. The highly touted classes fostered by O’Banion have lived up to their billing on the court as well guiding the program into the postseason each of the last three years. With her guidance, Memphis has accomplished just as much in the classroom during her tenure. The program has graduated 29 consecutive seniors from its roster, not including the five-member class of 2012 (two of which already have their respective degrees). Just this last fall, six student-athletes from the team achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
“I hold the responsibility of representing the Kent State community in high regard, and I am eager to help young people realize their dreams in the blue and gold,” O’Banion said. “I could not be more excited to be here. I want to thank University President Dr. Lester Lefton, Provost Todd Diacon, Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen and sport supervisor Tom Kleinlein for giving me this great opportunity.”
Classroom success and deep runs through the postseason are nothing new to the Arlington, Va., product. In 10 years as a collegiate coach, she has been on staff for nine postseason teams, including a Final Four and two Sweet 16 berths while on staff at Minnesota from 2003-07. In addition, she has been a part of two other NCAA appearances with the Golden Gophers in 2006 and at Harvard in 2002.
The 33-year old first joined the staff at Memphis in 2008 and was then promoted to associate head coach in 2010. During her time on the Tigers’ bench, she helped head coach Melissa McFerrin put the cornerstones in place for three straight 20-win and postseason squads, signing 15 players over two years. Those players helped Memphis to the finals of the 2010 Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) and in to field of the 2011 and 2012 WNIT each of the last two seasons. In addition to serving as the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator, O’Banion coached the perimeter players and directed the Memphis defensive attack with a pressure-oriented, full-court defense that quickly became the calling card for the program. Under her watch’ the team has averaged more than 11 steals per game the last three years, including a league best 11.8 spg in 2011-12 when the Tigers also led Conference USA with more than 20 forced turnovers per contest. O’Banion also assisted in the development of guards Brittany Carter and Ramses Lonlack. Carter is currently in the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun training camp following a three-time first team All-C-USA career that was capped off by a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Second-Team All-America selection. Meanwhile, Lonlack was named the 2012 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year.
Before making her way to Memphis, O’Banion spent the 2007-08 season coaching at her alma mater, Episcopal High School in Virginia, where she was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. Prior to her return to her alma mater, she spent five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. Her time with the Golden Gophers marked her first opportunity to work alongside Coach McFerrin. Together, they coached the Minnesota guards, most notably WNBA All-Star and Kodak All-American Lindsay Whalen. The Gophers appeared in the postseason all five seasons of O’Banion’s time in Minneapolis, highlighted by a 2004 NCAA Final Four and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances. O’Banion also served as the team’s academic liaison at Minnesota, helping to establish women’s basketball as the Big Ten leader in Academic All-Big Ten honorees.
O’Banion first entered the coaching profession in 2002 as an assistant coach at Harvard University where she helped legendary Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith’s Crimson squad win the Ivy League championship and earn an automatic NCAA tournament berth in her only season on staff.
As a student-athlete, she played for Boston College from 1997 to 2001. With O’Banion in the lineup, the Eagles captured the first two NCAA berths in school history in 1999 and 2000 advanced to the second round in both tournament appearances. A team co-captain as a senior, she earned a degree in psychology in 2001, receiving Big East Academic All-Star honors.
O’Banion is committed to growing and giving back to the basketball community. She is an active member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and serves on two WBCA award committees. A 10-year member of the Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA), O’Banion will serve as president of the nearly 6,000 member organization until 2013. She is also a proud graduate of the Achieving Coaching Excellence (ACE) program, co-sponsored by the NCAA and the BCA. O’Banion is the daughter of Julia and Delancie.
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Diamond Club race brings Coeur d'Alene road closures
by TAYLOR VIYDO & KREM.com
Tuesday, Aug 27 at 8:21 PM
Diamond Cup organizers not expecting big security surprisesadd to reading list
Hydro racing returns to Coeur d’Alene faster, saferadd to reading list
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- Kootenai County officials asked for people to be on alert around waterway hazards and possible traffic congestion due to the approaching Diamond Cup hydroplane races. Event organizers have been setting the race course on Lake Coeur d'Alene near the Silver Beach area for the past few days. Numerous course buoys and log booms will be moved into the area for the races until Labor Day weekend. Officials asked boaters to use extreme caution when traveling through the area around the course. They added that Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive from Potlatch Hill Road to west of Sunnyside Road will be reduced to only one lane with traffic flaggers on either end. Coeur d'Alene Drive will remain one lane through the weekend. The Centennial Trail will remain open but will be diverted next to the single lane of vehicle traffic.
Locals and drivers who need access east of the race venue are asked to use an alternate route like Interstate 90 to Mullan Trail to Sunnyside Road.
Spectators are encouraged to use the free bus services from the Kootenai County Fairgrounds as well as the downtown shuttle services to reduce traffic congestion. There will be no parking at the race venue and vehicles found blocking emergency vehicle access to road, parked on private property, or blocking access to homes will be subject to removal at the owner's expense. Kootenai County officials said they will have increased patrols through Labor Day weekend to ensure the safety of all residents and guests.
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Heat even up the NBA Finals MIAMI (AP) -- LeBron James overcame a terrible start to finish with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and the Miami Heat rolled to a 103-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night to even the series at a game apiece.
Mario Chalmers scored 19 points for the defending champion Heat, who trailed late in the third quarter before going on a 30-5 run to take control. Chris Bosh added 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Danny Green scored 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting and Tony Parker had 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting with five assists for the Spurs, who turned the ball over 17 times after tying a finals record with only four in their Game 1 victory.
Game 3 is Tuesday night in San Antonio.
Dwyane Wade added 10 points and six assists for the defending champion Heat, who were down 62-61 with under four minutes to play in the third quarter and in danger of falling into a serious hole in their bid to repeat.
Tim Duncan and nine points and 11 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard had 14 rebounds, including eight on offense, for the Spurs, who shot 41 percent.
James had a triple-double in Game 1 with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. But his scoring total was the lowest in these playoffs, and again there was chatter that the four-time MVP somehow needed to do more. James brushed those suggestions off, saying it was important to get guys like Bosh and Wade going early to get them into the game.
Actually, it was Chalmers who ended up being the one to get James going.
James missed eight of his first 10 shots and was 3 for 13 after three quarters, and the Spurs led 62-61 on a layup from Green with less than 4 minutes to go in the third.
Green, who was cut twice by the Spurs and once by the Cavaliers during an early portion of his career that took him to Slovenia and Reno in the NBA's developmental league, was flawless in the first three quarters after playing a big role in the Game 1 victory.
But Chalmers seemed to have an answer every time. Often the brunt of harsh prodding from James and Wade on the court, the former Final Four hero from Kansas kept the Heat going in this one. His three-point play gave Miami a 64-62 lead in response to Green's layup, Ray Allen hit a 3 and James finally converted on a tough drive to the rim for a 69-62 lead, eliciting a roar from the white-clad crowd.
James scored two more layups on a 7-0 run to start the fourth, stuffed Tiago Splitter on a dunk attempt and then fed Mike Miller for a corner 3. James capped the staggering Heat surge with a soaring tomahawk dunk for a 91-67 lead, prompting Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to pull his starters and start thinking about Game 3 back home.
Even though it's only Game 2, there was so much on the line for the star-studded Heat. An incredible 27-game winning streak fueled a 66-win season, with many handing James and Co. their second straight title before the playoffs even started.
Then the Indiana Pacers took them to seven games in a rugged Eastern Conference finals series, and a seemingly invincible team suddenly looked beatable.
After leading for most of Game 1 behind 17 points from Wade in the first three quarters, the Heat appeared to run out of gas in the fourth. Wade was held scoreless in the final period and the well-rested Spurs got a miraculous shot from Parker with 5.2 seconds in a 92-88 victory.
In the history of the NBA Finals, only three of 31 teams had come back to win the championship after falling behind 0-2. None of those teams did it after losing the first two games at home, and the series is headed back to the River Walk for three straight games this week.
Leading up to the game, the Heat remained confident in the fact that they have come back from a 1-0 deficit so many times before. They trailed Chicago in last year's playoffs, but rebounded to win 4-1. They did the same to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals and again to the Bulls in this year's Eastern Conference semifinals. But there was a big difference in all three of those series.
"We didn't lose any games at home," Bosh said. "Dropping one on your home floor in the opening is a tough pill to swallow, but it's our reality."
They walked into an arena on Sunday night with white t-shirts draped over every seat that read "Larry loves Miami," a reference to the Lawrence O'Brien championship trophy. But there was no question that this 1-0 hole may have been their biggest yet since James arrived on South Beach three years ago. Wade called it a must-win game.
Duncan and Popovich, one of the most respected coaches in the NBA, have won four championships together. But the core that also includes Parker and Manu Ginobili hasn't hoisted the trophy since 2007, when the Spurs beat James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"For some reason when our backs are against the wall, we really respond appropriately and that kind of propels us through the rest of the series," Bosh said. "Maybe when we look back on this we'll say losing Game 1 was the best thing that could happen to us." Like this? Tweet it to your followers! Published in
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Referee of the Year Petrescu assigned as top official for MLS Cup By Adam Serrano
Beat Lost in the shuffle of the craziness of the past week and the Thanksgiving Holiday, the Professional Referee Organization announced earlier in the week that newly crowned Referee of the Year Silviu Petrescu will officiate the 2012 MLS Cup between the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo on Dec. 1 at The Home Depot Center.
Petrescu worked 20 MLS regular season games this season as well as one postseason game -- LA's 2-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Nov. 12. The Canadian referee officiated three matches apiece for the Galaxy and Houston as well as their May 26 meeting at BBVA Compass Stadium. A complete breakdown of Petrescu's games with LA and Houston as well as his complete officiating crew is below. HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. LA GALAXY 5/26 - HOU 2 LA 1. FOULS: 20 (10 for Houston and 10 for LA); CAUTIONS: 4 (1 for Houston and 3 for LA)
11/1 - LA 2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1. FOULS: 24 (12 for LA and 12 for Vancouver); CAUTIONS: 4 (2 for LA and 2 for Vancouver); PENALTIES: 1 (Converted by LA)
7/18 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 LA 2. FOULS: 35 (16 for Vancouver and 19 for LA); CAUTIONS: 4 (1 for Vancouver and 3 for LA)
8/3 - HOU 2 New York Red Bulls 0. FOULS: 20 (10 for Houston and 10 for NYRB); CAUTIONS: 2 (Houston
3/11 - Chivas USA 0 HOU 1. FOULS: 26 (12 for Chivas and 14 for Houston); CAUTIONS: 1 (Houston) 2012 MLS Cup Officiating Crew
REFEREE: SILVIU PETRESCU
ASST 1: Daniel Belleau
ASST 2: Darren Clark
4TH: Hilario Grajeda
Sarvas into Quarterfinals of Latino del Año
Beat Marcelo Sarvas is into the Quarterfinals of FutbolMLS.com's Latino del Año 2012 or Latino Player of the Year. Sarvas is matched up against FC Dallas' Panamaian forward Blas Pérez in the quarterfinals. The Brazilian, who joined the club from Costa Rican side Alajuelense during the offseason has made 37 appearances for the LA Galaxy in all competitive matches this year, tallying two goals and two assists. Meanwhile Perez made 20 appearances for FCD in 2012, scoring nine goals as well as four assists. Vote for the Quarterfinals here.
Happy Thanksgiving and many thanks from the LA Galaxy Insider
Beat Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or just Thursday, I wanted to take a moment to offer my thanks to all of those that have supported the LA Galaxy Insider since the blog's inception in July. I know that I'm incredibly thankful to have the ability to serve as the LA Galaxy Insider and for all my interactions with players, journalists, staff, and fans. On this holiday, a few members of the LA Galaxy including head coach Bruce Arena took part in the Foundations' Feast, which is an annual Thanksgiving Dinner for children and families in need hosted by the LA Galaxy Foundation and The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation. Check out some photos from that event here. One MLSsoccer.com reporter Jonah Freedman wrote the following piece stating how thankful he is for David Beckham's six-year career in MLS. Be sure to watch my interview with the LA Galaxy midfielder as we close into the final game of his Galaxy career, the 2012 MLS Cup Final on Dec. 1 against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. 21
Ahead of MLS Cup, Galaxy hoping to "regroup, recharge" during holiday break
Beat CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy took part in their final training session on Wednesday before a three day break for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Before the Galaxy players crisscross the country for the holiday, they took part in a brisk session at the training ground in the shadow of The Home Depot Center. The holiday break will be the club’s biggest in a month ahead of their most important game of the season, the 2012 MLS Cup which takes place on Dec. 1 at The HDC.
Below Bruce Arena, Todd Dunivant, Mike Magee, Sean Franklin, and Jose Villarreal discuss the implications of the holiday break on the team.
ARENA: “I think [it’s good]. Hopefully we can get back into the swing of things quickly [on Sunday]. With the game still a bit away, we can afford the three days and hopefully it’ll get the guys rested and ready to go next week.”
DUNIVANT: “We need the break, it’s been a long five playoff games in a very short amount of time. We had a really good tough session today and I think we felt our heavy legs, so it’ll be good to get time off and regroup, regenerate, and be ready to come back sharp next week.”
FRANKLIN: “I wish it wasn’t such a big break. Last year, there was also two weeks between the conference game and the MLS Cup and it’d be nice to have the game this week to keep the momentum from our game this past Sunday. It is what it is, it’s nice to have a few days off to get a few guys healthy who have a few knocks and nicks. [When] we come back from this break, it’s time to crack down and get things sharp for December 1.”
MAGEE: “I think it’s good. We got some guys banged up that we want to get back. A bunch of guys are ill and I don’t think that Seattle weather helped us too much. I think we think we needed this break, obviously, we would have liked a break before, but we’ll take it now.”
VILLARREAL: “Since the Seattle game, I think about the final every day, but it’s good to have a couple of days off and to with the family and enjoy that time. Then we get back to business and get to it to win that cup again.”
Draw for the Under-20 CONCACAF Championship group stage By Adam Serrano
Beat CARSON, Calif. -- The United States Under-20's learned their opponents for the group stage of 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Puebla, Mexico, which serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2013 Under-20 World Cup. The Americans were awarded the top seed in Group A for the tournament that takes place from February 18 through March 2 and will take on Costa Rica and Haiti. The top two nations in each of the four groups will reach the quarterfinals while the four nations that advance to the semifinals will move on to the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey. (The complete schedule for the CONCACAF tournament can be found here.)
One player that is expected to be on the field for the Americans in Mexico is LA Galaxy forward Jose Villarreal, who is hopeful that he can become a key part of U-20 head coach Tab Ramos' squad. “That’s important for me getting to be with the Under-20s and getting ready for qualifiers and hopefully we make it to the World Cup," said Villarreal. "It’s going to get me fitter and expose me to different players, different coaches, and different styles of play.”
With World Cup qualifying in his sights, Villarreal admits that he’s certainly learned a great deal during his U-20 experience.
“It’s definitely positive in every way," said Villarreal. "It’s a little similar to what the national team is like and it’s always fun to be around a group of guys that are the best in their age group. It’s just fun because you can learn a lot from them and we’re all friends and it’s always fun to play with friends.” 21
Leiweke says the LA Galaxy already at work on next year, next DP
Beat David Beckham may be playing his last game for the LA Galaxy on Dec. 1 in MLS Cup 2012 at The Home Depot Center against the Houston Dynamo, but AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke is adamant that the only place for the club to move in the post-Beckham era is forward.
In the second and final part of his exclusive interview with LA Galaxy Insider on Tuesday evening, Leiweke discussed the Galaxy brand and what is next for the team after David Beckham. (Part one is here.)
One of the largest spots of growth has been on the brand side where LA have grown exponentially. Last November, the Galaxy signed a 10-year $55 million television contract with Time Warner Cable Sports, the most lucrative in MLS history and in March signed a 10-year $44 million dollar sponsorship extension with Herbalife—also the most lucrative in MLS history—to be the official presenting sponsor and jersey sponsor of the Galaxy.
“We created one of the top brands in soccer in the world and I think people know the Galaxy worldwide. I’m always traveling around the world to all of our different companies and assets and I see Galaxy jerseys in China, I see Galaxy jerseys in Europe and London, so I think it’s unique that we’ve been able to take an MLS club in a country that people thought didn’t care about soccer and make it one of the more recognizable soccer brands in the world.”
“That is a credit to David and the fact that he not only put us on the map, but made a statement once we got there. That’s not going to go away, everyone always underestimates Robbie Keane, but the man is to this day still one of the top 10 scorers in the history of the Premier League and we have arguably one of the best American players who has ever played the game,” Leiweke added. “These are guys that are 31, 32 years old and they’re not going anywhere, so as much as David put us on the map, we got a team, a coach and an organization that aren’t going anywhere and we’re going to continue to grow. So as sad as I am to see David leave because he is a friend and a tremendous influence on this organization, that said, this is the right time.”
Although Beckham will depart the club next month, Leiweke reveals that conversations about the Galaxy’s next step have been ongoing for months.
“Bruce, Chris Klein and I have spent a lot of time talking in the last three or four months about where we go next. You know, we’re very fortunate to have Juninho and Sarvas. We’re not lacking for good creative midfielders and they’re young and hopefully this gives us resources to keep that nucleus intact,” said Leiweke. “We’re lucky we have Robbie Keane, he makes this a much easier transition, we’re lucky we have Landon Donovan. Frankly, I think from a player standpoint, I don’t think we miss a beat next year. I love David, but I think David would be the first to tell you that with Juninho and Sarvas, we got a pretty potent midfield, so I don’t think you’re going to see slippage here.”
And of that designated player spot? Leiweke admits that the club is going to look for the right fit, not just the first player that comes along.
“Yes, it does give us a DP slot, but don’t expect us to rush out and go fill it. We’re going to fill it with the right guy and it’s the right guy for this marketplace, the right guy for Bruce and the team that he and Chris want to build,” said Leiweke. “Chris and I have spent a lot of time talking about where we go find that next guy. It’s going to have to be the right guy not the first guy, which means maybe we’re patient for a year or two until we get the right guy.”
AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke discusses David Beckham's Galaxy finale
Beat CARSON, Calif. –AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke was instrumental in bringing David Beckham to the LA Galaxy in 2007, but the man that brought Beckham to Los Angeles admits that it was time for both to move on.
Six years after Leiweke helped the Galaxy sign Beckham, the midfielder will play his final game with the club on Dec. 1 in the 2012 MLS Cup Final against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center. The match will bring a close to his six-year tenure with LA, where Beckham notched 98 regular season appearances, tallying 18 goals and 40 assists.
In an exclusive interview with the LA Galaxy Insider on Tuesday evening, Leiweke discussed his emotions and thoughts of the Beckham’s finale.
“I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I think the world of David; he’s been a great player, a great mentor, an important part of the league, an important part of our organization, and a good friend. That said, I’m proud of him, it’s the right time. We get a chance to end this with an exclamation mark,” Leiweke told LA Galaxy Insider. “I know like me, there have always been critics, speculation and criticism of bringing him here, but it’s hard to argue with the success of this organization and that player over the last four years. I just can’t think of a better way for him to go out on top then taking one last run at another cup. That is a remarkable accomplishment for the team and for the player. “
During Beckham’s interviews with the media on Tuesday, Beckham admitted that Leiweke did try to convince him to stay, but even though he was departing Los Angeles his commitment to the Galaxy and MLS will not change.
Leiweke admitted that he did attempt to sway the midfielder, but it was time for him and for the Galaxy.
“What I care for is David the individual more than David the player. You know, he’s taken some hits this year, I actually was a little worried about him at the end of the game in Seattle. I think he’s making the right decision here,” Leiweke said. “I think he’s given us all he has, I think he’s done exactly what he’s set out to do and I think it’s rare in life that a man can walk away with his head held high and his goals intact and he’s going to do that here.”
“I think he did a phenomenal job and everything that he set out to do,” Leiweke added. “I’m grateful for the way that he handled it, for his professionalism, for the environment that he created with our organization and the locker room and for the kind of teammate that he was especially for the young kids. David’s been a very good influence.”
Galaxy affirm that Beckham finale does not overshadow MLS Cup By Adam Serrano
Beat CARSON, Calif. – In a little more than a week, the LA Galaxy will play for their fourth MLS Cup title on Dec. 1 against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center. If that wasn't enough to build hoopla, the match will also serve as the final game for David Beckham with the Galaxy.
While Beckham’s finale will make headlines worldwide, Galaxy believe that it does not overshadow LA’s bid for the title.
“No, obviously they’re very aware of their timing, their announcing it and when. For us it doesn’t change anything. This team is very used to having a lot of attention on it,” affirmed Galaxy captain Landon Donovan. “For different reasons, I actually think it’s probably a good thing. He’s certainly going to be very motivated, as if he wouldn't be anyway. And for all of us who have been around him a long time we want to send him out on a good note.”
Beckham is quick to agree that the drama of MLS Cup only adds to the emotion surrounding his finale with LA.
“It’s been my home for the last six years, I've had some amazing times, one or two difficult times, but I've had some amazing memories here in this stadium and with this team,” said Beckham. “To be able to finish my career as a galaxy player in my own stadium, in a Cup final is special enough. Hopefully, to win it would finish everything off for me.”
The Galaxy midfielder is not alone in that sentiment as head coach Bruce Arena believes that it could augment Beckham’s career with LA that has seen him make 98 regular season appearances, tallying 18 goals and 40 assists in six seasons with LA.
“I think it will contribute to a great day,” said head coach Bruce Arena. “I think it will make for a fabulous event.”
But the Galaxy boss is quick to admit that it will be no easy task for LA or Beckham as the Houston Dynamo pose a real challenge for LA.
“Obviously our team wants to win the Cup and certainly for David to get two and a row would be great,” said Arena. “But I forewarn you, our opponent is going to be extremely difficult to beat. Houston is a very good team right now and they’re going to be very difficult team to beat.”
Beckham shoots down retirement and a stay in MLS as options post-Galaxy
Beat CARSON, Calif. – What’s next for David Beckham?
The 37-year-old midfielder will play his final game for the LA Galaxy on Dec. 1 in the 2012 MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center, but where he ends up has led to much speculation. One this is for certain, however, as the midfielder believes that he has another challenge left. "I still feel that I have something left in me as a player," said Beckham. "I still feel like I have one more challenge in me as a player, even at 37 years old. I still can play at a high level. Where that will be yet I haven't decided. I have some exciting opportunities on the table. But right now my focus is on the final."
During his press conference, Beckham issued an emphatic “no” to the prospect of staying in MLS or retirement. "People have talked about my retirement. People have mentioned when I'd retire," said Beckham. "And I actually don't feel as if I'm ready to retire yet. So that's not one of my options right now."
Those options off the table, there are a multitude of others that have been bandied about where he'll end up next. “I do have exciting and some interesting options on the table. Over my career I’ve had many rumors said about where I’m going to be playing, what teams I’m going to be joining and even at 37-years-old that has not changed. I’m sure that will continue to happen until I’ve made my decision. I haven’t made any decision right now because my full focus is on the final in ten days."
And when will this decision come?
“Everyone will know probably by the New Year,” he affirmed.
Beckham's Galaxy teammates excited for the future
Beat CARSON, Calif. – David Beckham’s time with the LA Galaxy may be winding down, but that did not save him from a little bit of friendly banter from his teammates on Tuesday morning.
The LA Galaxy announced on Monday that Beckham will play his final game for the club in the 2012 MLS Cup Final, but head coach Bruce Arena informed the entire team on Tuesday. With the announcement official, Beckham’s teammates had their own reaction to his departure.
“They gave me a bit of applause this morning and a little bit of abuse as well. That’s something that I expected. I’ve always said about it, I’m not just saying it for the first time here. These players are special people, they’re not just good players, but they’re good people,” said Beckham. “And that’s hard to come by, to have every one of the players be a good person. I’ve been honored and very lucky to be a part of that for the last six years.”
Defender Todd Dunivant was quick to explain the club’s playful jabs, but admitted that the rest of the club is excited for Beckham’s future and the future of the Galaxy.
“You always got to jab him because he’d do the same to you. It’s a little somber. He’s a great teammate and a huge part of our league for the last several years,” said Dunivant. “Obviously we’re disappointed to lose him and I think he’s disappointed to be leaving but he’ll have another chapter to go to and so will we.”
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Tickets Louisiana Tech Press Conference Transcript: Oct. 1
Coach Dykes previews the UNLV game
RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes and select student-athletes spoke with the media Monday about last week’s game against Virginia and this week’s upcoming game against UNLV.
Head coach Sonny Dykes
“Our Offensive player of the week was D.J. Banks. Defensive player of the week was Chip Hester. Special teams player of the week was Chad Boyd. Scout offense was Scotty Young. Scout defense was Malcolm Pichon. Special teams scout player of the week was Austin Ginn.”
“I think Matt Nelson was the WAC Special Teams Player of the Week. It was a good performance by Matt. I thought that was the best he has kicked since I have been here. Those were three big field goals obviously and I thought he hit them all real well. I think he is kicking with a lot of confidence right now, so I wanted to recognize him.”
“It is good to go on the road and get another win. It is not often that you play three road games against three teams that went to bowl games last year and win all three of them. I am proud of our players for doing that and I think it is a pretty major accomplishment.”
“I think if you go back to last season and this is just the way the schedule has fallen, I think we were five of our last seven on the road last year and three of our first four this year. So that makes it eight of our last 11 on the road, so we have played a lot of road games here recently.”
“The good thing is I think we have won all eight of them. I credit our players for that. I think you have to have a tremendous amount of toughness and confidence and good team chemistry to be able to do that.”
“I thought Virginia came out and played well Saturday. I thought they had a good game plan early. I they knew that we felt like we need to stop the run defensively, so we loaded up the box. They came out throwing the football and did a good job and completed some passes early and moved the football.”
“We struggled offensively early in the game and they got a pretty good lead on us. Give credit to our players for hanging in there. I do not think anybody panicked. Then we were able to get it a little closer at halftime.”
“It is kind of the same thing the last few weeks at halftime. We kind of talked this week about being down, but we played about as bad as we could play the first half of football and felt like it was still a very competitive football game.”
“We came out in the second half and did most of what we have done this year and that is played well in the third quarter. We got on a little bit of a roll and got some turnovers defensively. We got hot on offense and scored a bunch of points in a row and tried to hold on.”
“That has kind of been what we have tried to do really these last four ball games if you go back and look. I think we have had at least a 20-point lead at some in every game we have played this year and have just tried to hold on down the stretch.”
“We let them have a couple of touchdowns, could not make a first down on offense and then we were fortunate enough to kind of get that play at the end and ran the clock out.”
“It was a good win; a good team effort. I am proud of our guys. I think we showed a lot of toughness. That was a big, physical football game; a big, physical football team. I thought we held up to their physical strength well.”
“The key for us has been creating turnovers defensively and not turning the ball over on offense. That has proved to be the deciding factor in the game.”
On the Virginia game being chippy and the team showing leadership:
“I think it is a little bit of maturity. I think it is a little bit of our ability to focus and try to pay attention to what is important. I think we have to do a little better job than we did. We had some personal fouls and some things we kind of got baited into a little bit. I think a lot of that is just maturity and guys’ understanding what is important.”
“We had a ton of penalties. It was kind of a sloppy game from a penalty standpoint. We are committing a lot of penalties. People are committing a lot of penalties against us, so that normally means you are playing aggressive.”
“There are some penalties we have to get cleaned up. We had I think three false starts that hurt us. We had a couple of personal fouls that hurt us. When you play aggressive football, you are going to have some penalties.”
“I saw a stat; I think my wife pointed this out to me. The five most penalized teams in the country are 19-3 combined, so the old adage that a lot of penalties get you beat is not really true.”
On a lot of penalties:
“It is something we always talked about at Texas Tech. It was funny. When we had really good teams there, we had a lot of penalties. It was the same thing. People had a lot of penalties against us. It is just the way the game is played and the pressure you put on people offensively.”
“The game is going fast. We are playing a lot of plays. There is going to be more yards in these games; more plays in these games. If there are more plays, there are more opportunities for penalties. We want to play aggressive and play aggressive football and sometimes we make some mistakes and have some penalties.”
“Like I said, we have to get it corrected. We are trying to fix it and hopefully get it fixed. It is kind of like time of possession. The old time of possession deal does not really hold true.”
On resiliency after being down at Virginia early:
“It was kind of a slugfest really. We were down early and then we got up and they kept slugging away. Both teams played hard for 60 minutes and we talked about that.”
“I really thought we got Virginia’s best shot. They had lost two games on the road. I think they were really primed to play. I thought they were excited to play against us. I think they came out and played about as well as they could have offensively early and we weathered the storm.”
“That is what you have to do in college football because it is such a game of momentum shift. It is so much different than the pro game just because there are so many more possessions and so many more things happen.”
“And, momentum is so critical. When you can withstand those runs people make against you, you have to have a pretty mentally tough football team to do that and our guys have been able to answer this year. Whether it has been getting a stop when we needed it or scoring a touchdown when we needed to offensively, we have been able to kind of find a way to get it done.”
On the team’s reaction to national attention:
“In some ways, that is up to us as a coaching staff. We are kind of the old guys that realize that buzz does not really do much except set you up for disaster really.”
“We have to do a good job really of making sure we close ranks and these guys understand that it does not matter what somebody writes in a newspaper in Sioux City, S.D., or wherever. That is not really relevant to what we are trying to get done around here. The people that are giving us love will take it away as quickly as they are giving it to us and the people that do not believe in us, they probably do not even know we are Division I. At the end of the day, you cannot look too much into that.”
On the defensive turnovers helping the offense:
“It is the perfect storm in some ways. If you look at the defense, when they score a touchdown, they have to go right back out there again. So, it is funny deal. We run the ball back to the one yard line. They hold us. We run a kickoff back to the one and they hold us four plays there. Our offense is only out there for four and our defense has to go back out there again.”
“We score a touchdown defensively and they have to go right back out there again. That leads to giving up a lot of yards and the more plays, there are more yards. That type of thing goes hand in hand. At the end of the day, we are about trying to create turnovers.”
“It has suited us well. I think we have won 11 consecutive regular season games and every one of those we have won the turnover battle. The last regular season game we lost the turnover battle was the last game we lost and that was against Hawaii. Obviously, you do not have to be real smart to figure out that for us, it is about creating turnovers and taking care of the ball.”
On forcing a back-up quarterback to come into the game:
“The weird thing was the guy started off so well. (Michael) Rocco played so well early in the game. He just got hot and then I think once we got settled in we were able to anticipate some throws. You know we dropped three interceptions. We could have had a couple more and those are plays we have to make. But, the fact is we got three, so I think it is good.”
“Anytime they bring in another quarterback, it means you are doing something right. Those three or four possessions in the fourth quarter were huge. We were able to pull away from them a little bit.”
“But, we have to do a better job finishing games off. We have tried it both ways. We have tried to slow it down a little bit and work the clock. We tried to do that Saturday. I just felt like we had a big enough lead at that time that that was the way to go. And, so much of that goes into who you are playing and what you think you have to do in order to win the game.”
“Every game is different in the way you try to handle the game and making decisions like that. Those decisions, you try to make them on Thursday, but then you never know how the flow of the game is going to go. What you have to do is reassess that during the game and ask yourself if you have a lead, do you want to go ahead and score or milk the clock or can we stop them. And those are all decisions you want to be able to make during the week, but inevitably you have to make them on Saturday just because the game does not always go the way you think it will.”
On success in the third quarter:
“I think our players have a chance to refocus again at halftime. I think we can get together as a coaching staff and talk about some things we like on both sides of the ball; some things that are working and things that are not working and make some adjustments.”
“Really, it is the players. They understand the importance of the first possession of the second half. That is something we try to stress to our guys a lot is understanding how important that possession is because that really sets the tone for the rest of the football game. We have been a good first-possession team offensively and we have done a good job of starting to create turnovers in the third quarter.”
“If you look at the last two weeks, that is when the bulk of those turnovers have come; in the third quarter. Our guys just seem like they come out focused and understand the importance of getting off to a good start.”
On running game with Dixon, Holley and Lee:
“Yeah, Hunter (Lee) will play back there some as well. When Tevin (King) went down, we felt like obviously had two options. We could go with Ray (Holley) or go with Hunter (Lee) teamed with Kenneth (Dixon). The thing that we wanted to do was try to create a situation where we had two different running styles because I think that is always difficult as a defense.”
“That was part of the thing that made Tevin and Kenneth such a good combination was they had very different running styles. Ray fit that bill a little bit better and we decided to go with that. Ray is a little bit more of an elusive, quicker guy, where Hunter is a little bit more of a plotter; more similar to Kenneth.”
“Hunter is such a good receiver as well. He is a guy that we did not get involved probably as much as we would have like to this week and we have to do a better job of getting him the football. He is too good of a player to not utilize him. There will be an effort this week from us to make sure he gets the ball a little more than he did.”
On whether screening away from opposing team’s bench is a strategy:
“You know, most stuff happens for a reason. How is that?”
“That is kind of like the deal Saturday. At the end of the game, that was kind of a strange way to end a football game and there are lots of varying opinions on what transpired there. We had three timeouts and we figured we would use them all. That was kind of the thought process going into that. It was getting some easy sets, making sure we had some holes for runs and then basically call all three timeouts, or if we found something that was easy, we were going to call a play and try to get a first down. That was kind of the thought process.”
“We really were not trying to trick them. We just put our offense back out there. We called a timeout and put our offense back out there and that is really what happened.”
On what Virginia coach Mike London said after the game:
“Just normal stuff. Good game and that type of thing. I told him he had a good football team and they played tough. I was impressed with how hard their players played.”
On making sure the players stay grounded:
“It is the same message we talk about all the time. We play 12 games a year and think if these work 330 days a year, they probably have 35 days off where they are not lifting weights or practicing football. You would hate to waste an opportunity with all that working and effort because you have been training since you were eight years old or whatever.”
“You get to play 12 times a year. You better take advantage of it, especially if you want to try to accomplish something. Our guys know that every game is really important to us. If you want to be respected you have to gain respect. You have to earn respect and we certainly have a long way to go.”
On UNLV similarities with other opponents:
“Not really. They go off speed and that is the thing that stands out if you look at them. Their DB’s run. Their receivers run. Their backs can run. That is probably the strength of their team.”
“They are a little different than Virginia. You put the film on Virginia and the lines are big and powerful and these guys are good up front on both sides, but they are not the same size guys we have been playing against these last two weeks, but there is a speed element out there that probably has not been there the last two weeks.”
“They are very well coached. I think Bobby does a really good job with his football team. He won a lot of games at Montana. He has a good coaching staff and I really have a lot of respect for him. You can see them getting better. That is the thing that you have to judge coaches on is how much they improve. His team has improved dramatically from last year to this year and really from week 1 to where they are right now, they are better.”
On the coaching rumor mill:
“That’s the same old thing. It is kind of the same thing with our football team. That is someone posting on the internet; some 19 year old kid smoking pot in his dorm room, you know what I am saying? That is how that stuff gets started. That is why you cannot give it too much credibility. You never know. All those [media] guys do live on the west coast.”
“That stuff is kind of the same thing. That is a bunch of noise that does not really mean anything. People just bounce stuff around to see what sticks. You do not pay too much attention to that.”
On Virginia’s trick play early in the game:
“I thought it was a good call really. I think they felt like they needed a lift offensively to gain some confidence. I thought it was really a good call and it did exactly what they wanted it to do. It got their crowd behind them. It got their crowd in the game. It gave them some momentum and put us on our heels a little bit.”
“I actually thought it was a hell of a call and a well-executed play. We actually covered it decently. They just made a good throw and a good catch. It was a good way to start the game. I think they felt like going in they were going to need to score some points to give their offense some confidence and I thought it was a good call.”
On playing UNLV at home:
“I think so. There is kind of an interesting statistic. When I was at Texas Tech, we had a lot of different stats and studies. We did a study one time talking about playing consecutive road games and how the second road game in a row is so much more difficult to win than the first road game. There were some pretty staggering statistics.”
“For us to go out there and catch Virginia’s best effort and figure out a way to win when it did not look very good early, that is a very good effort from our players and their toughness. The good thing is we are at home now for really three weeks and that is going to pay some dividends for us.”
“It is tough to travel and get home late. It is just hard on you as a coaching staff. It is hard on the players. You go home and get off the plane. Then you want to check some scores and there is a game on. Before long, you are trying to unwind and you look up and it is 4 in the morning. You are trying to get some sleep and get back in the office.”
“It just takes its toll on you, so we are excited to be home for a couple of weeks.”
On still doing statistical analysis:
“Not as much. It is the same old thing. There is so much stuff out there that you have to kind of figure out what is important to you and what really matters to you.”
“That was more of a scheduling analysis with our head coach fighting with our AD at the time about how hard it was to schedule two road games in a row. When you are an assistant coach, you get to do fun stuff like those studies, which I have done a lot of and given it to the head coach and he will just throw it in the trash after spending two weeks or two months on it. I spent two months on something one time and the head coach took one look at it and said, ‘Yeah, that’s interesting,’ and threw it in the trash. It is part of the deal.”
On the fan support for the UNLV game:
“I hope it is good. There are still a lot of things these guys need to accomplish, but they have done some things that are impressive and I do hope we have a good crowd and good attendance just to show them that people around here care and they appreciate their hard work and success that they have had. I hope it happens.”
On guys getting more playing time against Virginia:
“Malcolm Pichon got his first snaps in his college career and really did some good things. I was really pleased with how Malcolm played.”
“We were a little beat up in some spots. There are going to be a lot of guys getting their first action, especially on special teams. We have some guys that are special teams standouts that are kind of beat up right now a little bit and having to play more defensively. You’ll see some younger players.”
“Everybody goes through that. I am not a big cry injury guy because everybody has them. That is football and you have injuries. If you do not like them then synchronized swimming is a good sport to coach. I would think there would be very few injuries.”
“That is just part of the game. The good thing is when somebody goes down, someone else has to step up and our team has that mentality. You see it as an opportunity and guys have got to go out and make the most of it.”
“Malcolm (Pichon) played well. I thought Bryson Abraham played extremely well. I think he gets better and better every week. Chip (Hester) obviously did some great things at the linebacker spot and on special teams as well.”
“We have some young guys that are going to have to step up and give us some depth. Ty Hook got some significant action. He played very well. They have to grow up fast just because we need them to. That is our job as coaches to get them ready to play.” Stephen Warner
On the physicality of Virginia:
“There are lots of times in games where it kind of gets a little chippy. It’s always going to be that when you have grown men facing off against each other in that type of situation where you are banging heads all game and everything. It did get chippy sometimes but we just have to learn to control it and like the penalty we got, the two that we got, we need to learn to stay focused on what we are trying to do and not really worry about what they are saying or what they are doing or how they are playing, just let our play speak for itself.”
On difficulty of being a leader of this offense:
“It gets to be sometimes. There’s a lot of verbage sometimes that you are trying to say to get guys in right spots, but with how much we have practice and how long we have been in this system I have kind of gotten use to what all we have to do before each play. Being with the same guys for as long as I have been with, they kind of know my progression through what I am doing and how we are going to go about before each play getting all the calls in, getting the snap counts and all that stuff. It is something we have gotten used to, something we had to get use to but I feel like we are in a good rhythm with it now and we get it going pretty good every game.”
On biggest different in offense from last year to this year:
“It is just consistency to me I think. Last year we hit spurts every now and then where we would not do very good, and here the first few games I think we have been a lot better with our consistency. Obviously against Virginia it was not as great as we wanted it to be where we were going out and having multiple-play drives for long distances, but I think it is getting better with guys doing their jobs the same every play and not taking plays off and things like that. I just feel like it is going to help us in the long run as far as continuing our offensive production and things like that.”
On the running game:
“I really feel like we have some of the best running backs in the country, no doubt, guys that just put their heads down and go to work every play. Not trying to be selfish or anything like that. Guys that are willing to give up carries maybe that they wish they were getting that they maybe are not getting. Guys that just play for the team, that is one of the best things we have on this team at all of our positions really, skill positions, wide receivers and running backs included. Guys that are just willing to help the team no matter how they have to do it. You got a guy like Hunter Lee who was a great running back for us last year who has been playing inside receiver and has not been getting a whole lot of carries, and you got a guy like Ray Holley who has been doing the same thing. Somebody goes down, he steps up. I feel like he had a really great game running the ball and so did Kenneth [Dixon]. As long as we just keep our running game going I feel like it opens up a lot of things on offense, through our play-action stuff and then going down the field to Quinton [Patton].”
On wearing out the defense:
“It is different with each team, but it really starts to happen when we start throwing those screen passes to the sidelines. You have defensive linemen trying to run all the way when we go left hash to the right hash, from the right hash to the left hash, it just keeps going like that. Probably about four or five plays into that you can start to tell they are getting a little winded and that is when it is really our job to step on the gas and really get it going even faster than what it has been going. I feel like it has been working for us pretty good as far as getting our screen game off of our run game and what not. Then mixing in actually running it to where we are zoning it and things like that and getting those guys moving around because once you get going fast enough they cannot set up and you got guys in there that have been in for five or six plays. Five or six plays for a defensive lineman that is 300 pounds is a lot of work.”
On the national attention:
“Obviously, this is a spot we have not been in since I have been here where we have been 4-0 to start the season, but we are glad we are at this spot and this is what you work for. I feel like this team is well suited to handle the type of publicity that we are getting. If you keep winning, the publicity is going to keep coming and obviously that is our goal to keep winning. I just feel like we have a lot of guys on this team that are not worried about rankings and stats and things like that. They are worried about getting a W and that is obviously the most important thing. We are going to come out this week with the same mindset we had last week in getting a win.”
On the reaction of the offensive line video:
“No one has really said anything team-wise. I think the one that said the most about it was coach Perot. He was kind of like ‘what are you doing these videos for or whatever’. It was just something we all kind of thought would be fun to do for our senior year. Most of us that were in that video are seniors except for Matthew Sheppard. We just kind of thought it would be something fun to do for the fans. We thought it would be funny. We had no idea it would go the way it went to, but I guess we will take any press we can get. We do not get much.”
On Cameron joking about the video:
“That is just Colby being Colby. He is just trying to be funny. It is a thing that was fun for the fans and fun for us to see it. People ask me all the time if we are going to make another one. That was pure accident how that happened. I do not know if we tried to make another one if we could even do something like that again.”
On his parent’s reaction to the video:
“I did not tell my parents. As soon as they were here and saw it, that was the first time they had seen and heard about it. They were real excited after the game. They could not believe I did something like that because I have never done that. I have always been the guy that just goes to work and does not really try to do anything outside of the normal or whatever. Just kind of wanted to do something for my senior year just to look back and say ‘man, I had fun doing that.’”
On the team chemistry:
“This is one of the best teams that I have been on since I have been here as far as the chemistry aspect goes where we got guys that have fun playing the game and it is not all about the business part of it where you just come in, grind it out every day and no one is having any fun. I think that is what makes us so great is that we have guys that love playing, love being together, love being on the field just playing football with each other. We do not worry about what the other team is doing or where we messed up. You forget the plays you messed up, you go out and you go play again and just have fun doing it. It keeps the atmosphere light. It keeps it interesting. It makes it fun to come to practice every day.”
On any panic being down 14 points to Virginia:
“No, not at all. The first thing we did when they scored is Colby came over to all of us. The o-line already has a great mindset because we have been through all of this the whole time since we have been here. We know it does not matter what the score is we are going to go out and play the same on every play. Colby came over to us on the sideline and said ‘hey, this is not as bad as Nevada was last year.’ We said ‘yeah, you got that right.’ It was definitely not as bad. We have the mindset where we have been through those types of situations. We know how it goes. We know what we did to win and you just look back on that as an example of what you need to do to go out there and score and get the victory.” On snapping with a quarterback from under center:
“We practice it once a week and we do it one time. It has been a while since I have done it. The only person I have ever snapped to since I was here was Colby [Cameron] under center. When coach Dooley was here that is what we did. So he and I did it all the time back then and it is just the same as it was back then.”
On looking back to his first year as a starter:
“I think in football, the main thing is of how you get from where you were to where you are going is drawing off of experiences like that. Being able to say I was here through the bad times. Now I know how to get to where it is good times. Just being able to go out there and say we have been in those spots before and now we are not. We just have to keep going. We know what is like to be there and we do not want to be there anymore. It just helps having played through all those things and knowing how to win games now like we are.”
On UNLV defense:
“One of the things we really do not worry about is making mistakes. We do not want to think of it as let us just do everything we can to not lose. Let us do everything we can to play football the way Louisiana Tech plays football and that is winning football and that is tough football and that is the type of football we have been playing for the past four weeks. We know how to do it and we are going to go out there and do it during practice this week and it is going to translate to the game. As far as UNLV we have not gotten to watch much on them yet. I know that they are a physical team. They are going to try and line up to stop our run game obviously and then just hope to get some plays in the pass game. We will see how it works out. I know this team is the type of team that is going to come to work just the same as did last week and the week before that and the week before that.”
On not looking ahead to Texas A&M:
“It is like coach Dykes talks about all the time it is one game at a time. You have to focus on this game this week and that is what we are going to do just because we are playing an SEC team, a team that we wanted to play the first game of the year anyway, a team that we were ready to play. We are ready to play UNLV too and we have to get ready this week. They are the next game on our schedule. They are the only game that matters. I can throw you all the football clichés you want to hear about that.”
On his national attention:
“People want to talk to find different things that they want to talk about. If they want to talk about me that is fine. They can talk about all of the other guys too. It does not really matter. We are going to go out and do what we do and have good games. Whether or not the attention is on one person or the other I do not think anyone is really worried about it too much. Just as long as we keep winning we are going to be happy.”
Chip Hester
On playing fullback last year:
“Coach Franklin never paid me off with the ball.”
On his interception:
“During the play I just dropped back and was scanning the field as usual. I looked up and the quarterback was just staring me down with the ball so I broke on it and all I thought was do not stop now.”
On being open:
“He thought I was on his team. It was just the endzone after that.“
On tradition of linebackers getting touchdowns off of interceptions:
“You watch [Adrien Cole and Jay Dudley] last year do what they did on defense and you just knew that everybody was just looking at you to be the next person to be able to make a play like that or fill those shoes so it was good to be able to be in the right place at the right time.”
On the growth of the defense:
“At the beginning of the season we all had a say in what your stamp was going to be on the defense and the first two games we struggled to complete our goals. We were on the field with teams scoring a lot of points on us, but as a defense we knew we just got to keep striving to be better. Striving to be better is the only way it is going to happen.”
On going back to the basics after last year’s defense:
“This is a new team because the guys that made those plays are not here. We just needed to be able to come together as a group and get a play here, get some stops, get turnovers. We focus on forcing turnovers and being great in doing that this year.”
On seeing a backup quarterback:
“This time I do not think we wanted to see that guy that came in at the end of the game. He was pretty good. Usually, we want to see what the backup quarterback can do. We say let us get this guy and see what the backup quarterback can do.” On staying focused with the national attention:
“We try not to focus on a lot of the outside sources and stuff like that. Just try to keep everything in-house and just focus on what we need to do here at Tech just to keep improving.”
On shutting out teams in the third quarter:
“Coming out of halftime we know we want to be a four quarters team. We want to have the momentum coming out of halftime. We want to be able to be the more explosive team so I think we focus on that in summer training, in the preparations and I think it is paying off.”
On playing a lot of snaps with a quick strike offense:
“You are just praying that Tevin King or Kenneth Dixon does not bust one because you know they are running the ball and trying to keep us off the field. They are out there running it pretty well so we are looking at them hoping they put a drive together and do not throw it deep to Quinton [Patton]. We are hoping, but usually it does not happen that way.”
On exciting of offense scoring so quick:
“We know the other team we are just stealing the momentum, stealing the life out of them with those quick scores.”
On difference between getting turnovers and holding teams to yardage:
“We still want total yardage off. In holding yardage off we have given up some plays here and there. The turnovers are what we are going for and are what we are expected to do just to get off the field and get that big stop. It is bend but do not break. In the end we will try to make the stop and get the turnover and it has been paying off for us.”
On playing a physical team like Virginia:
“It was a dog fight. It was a dog fight. They tried to come out and we did not want them to get any big runs or big spurt runs on us. We wanted to be the more physical team. We wanted to let them know how physical we were no matter how big their size was. We just went out there and put it to work.”
On finally playing at home:
“To be back at the Joe it is pretty nice, to be playing in front of our crowd. Hopefully we feel the Joe, sale the Joe out. We want to pack the Joe. It is going to be nice to be in that environment, our home environment.”
On being a BCS buster:
“We know that being talked of a BCS buster will be over with just one loss. In all that we still have to be out there preparing for this game as usual, just every day in practice preparing one way and that is a way to win.”
On being +24 in turnovers in last 11 regular season games:
“Plus 24 in turnovers is pretty big I feel like, but just having an offense that we have, we do not want to be the slacker part of this team. We want to be where the defense can hold its own too because I know a lot of the media talk is like the defense is a little less than the offense, but we want to be able to hold our own out there too. I think being plus 24 in turnovers is kind of leading our way to show we can be a pretty good defense.”
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow @LATechPWalsh on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com. Email this article Printer-friendly format
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Jobs Friends and coach remember Knoxville basketball star
By: Conroy Delouche Email Posted: Thu 11:39 PM, Jan 26, 2012
By: Conroy Delouche Email Home
/ Article KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A Knoxville community is mourning the death of a former high school basketball star.
Police say West High stand-out Phillip "Tookie" Stanford committed suicide yesterday.
At this point last year, Stanford was leading the Runnin' Rebels on a historic season that ended with their first-ever state tournament appearance.
"He was very disappointed we didn't go further, but we wouldn't have been able to go as far as we did without him," said Coach Chris Kesler.
He averaged 13 points a game, was an all-state selection, and Coach Kesler says his leadership was a catalyst for the team's continued success.
"He was one of those guys that was all about making sure the team was successful. He did whatever he needed to do to make that happen," said Kesler.
Stanford graduated in May, and Coach says he went down to Gainesville for school, but dropped out and came back to Knoxville.
While in town, he spent time around the team, even watching them pick up two big wins this past weekend.
"He was there celebrating with us, patting guys on the back, telling them what a great job they did. And encouraged them to keep it going," said Kesler.
Just a few days later, former teammates and long-time friends on the Knoxville basketball scene are left wondering why he took his own life.
"I was just praying he was okay, and when I heard he died, I just burst into tears. Been really sad since," said friend and a freshman on the UT basketball team, Brandon Lopez.
"I just kinda broke down and started crying. I've been playing him, grew up playing basketball with him, against him. I've known him since I was like 8 or 7 and just shocking. He was like a brother to me," said friend and a freshman on the UT basketball team, Galen Campbell.
Coach Kesler says his players are still coming to grips with what happened, but can't wait to take the floor Friday night, which will provide a refuge for the team.
But the last message, just keep it going, will stay in their minds as they remember their teammate.
But we chose to because of the number of people that knew Tookie Stanford, followed his basketball career, and where his story began.
When he was just three, he saw his five year-old sister, Brittany Daniel get killed after getting shot in a drive by shooting.
One year later, a robber murdered his father. In 2000, his mother died of cancer.
His friends say he had a tough life, but had a lot of potential, and are sad he's gone.
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Sports legends of the 'Ville: Kimberly Brohm
The Brohm family is widely known in the area for their athleticism, and this can be seen without question with the family's daughter, Kim.
Oscar and Donna Brohm are well known locally for their athletic family, the name Brohm in fact, has become synonymous with the University of Louisville.
Sports legends of the ‘Ville: Yet Another Brohm
December 2, 2013 - 4:50pm
Today Greg Brohm is the head football coach at Bardstown's Thomas Nelson High School, but before he made his way west, Brohm was another in the historic and long line of familial success stories.
Locally few families are more known in the sports world than the Brohms and today we take a look at one of the older sons to Oscar Brohm, Greg.
Sports legends of the ‘Ville: The Flaget Cardinal Hall of Famer
Today the name Brohm has become synonymous with Louisville Cardinal football, but that all started with a standout quarterback in the 1960's by the name of Oscar, and for not just his athletic prowess but also for his community involvement he is without question, a sports legend of the 'Ville.
Few families have become more known in area football than the Brohms, and specifically this is in regards to the University of Louisville, who have since the 60’s had a steady flow of Brohms ...read the whole story
Sports legends of the Ville: The Bulldog Falcon
Chris Redman has become one of the most outstanding quarterbacks in Cardinal football history and foor good reason as we take a look at this Sports legend of the 'Ville.
Recently, I was going through an old box I dug up which featured a collection of sports programs through the years; for whatever reason I’ve always liked having these for sporting events, but
Sports legends of the ‘Ville: The Aquatic Coach
September 10, 2013 - 10:00am
Tori Trees has spent her entirely life in water seemingly and this has led her to tremendous athletic pursuits.
In 1984 the Olympics famously returned to the United States, as they were held in Los Angeles, California, and among the many representing the states in the contest was Louisville’s own, swim
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Northern Michigan introduces Sall as new head men's basketball coach
Former Ferris State head coach recognizes time is necessary to rebuild Wildcats May 13, 2013
Save | MARQUETTE - Bill Sall needed some time when deciding whether or not to uproot his wife and four children from downstate Big Rapids and Ferris State University to the Upper Peninsula. Now the head men's basketball coach of Northern Michigan University, Sall will need even more time to rebuild the Wildcats and get the city of Marquette back inside the Berry Events Center. It's something he's well aware of. Article Photos
New Northern Michigan University head men's basketball coach Bill Sall speaks to the media on Monday during an introductory press conference inside the Wildcat Room of the Berry Events Center. (Journal photo by Matt Wellens)
"I'd love to tell you I'd solve it in two weeks, but that's not going to be the case," Sall said Monday during an introductory press conference inside the Berry Events Center. "It's going to take awhile to get the players that we need here and I think along with that, start to develop those relationships for the 2014 class. "It's going to be a great process, but it's going to take time." The 14th head men's basketball coach in NMU's history has high aspirations for the program he inherits, saying he wouldn't have even considered the opening or glanced at it if he didn't think the 'Cats could contend the like his Bulldogs have done for the past 11 years in Big Rapids, winning four GLIAC North Division titles and two NCAA regional championships. But Sall has been through rebuilding processes before in the GLIAC as an assistant at Hillsdale College and again with Ferris. He knows five-win teams - like Northern in 2012-13 - don't just begin hanging banners overnight. "When you rebuild, you're in a scenario where you have a team that is fractured, a team that has not had a lot of success," Sall said. "It's a process of first off, building that base. You have to get the players that are here and the ones that are really committed to being a team, to get them back and have them on the same page." Sall will face an uphill battle trying to assemble a team for next season. Three NMU starters from the 2012-13 season have already indicated their time in Marquette is over with junior Matt Craggs slated to play for St. Cloud State next year, freshman Stephan Pelkofer heading to Wisconsin-Stevens Point and sophomore Quinten Calloway enrolling at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After recruiting and evaluating what he has in Marquette, Sall must now fill the rest of his roster with the leftovers of the 2013 recruiting class, which from high school seniors to transfers at all levels has been picked clean by the rest of the NCAA. Sall said he will cast a wide net and leave no stone unturned, however, he must be careful who he does and doesn't bring into his program. It's an environment that can easily lead to missteps. "You have to make sure you do a good job of this year filling a roster of players that you believe can make progress as you move on toward the future," Sall said. "I don't believe in quick fixes. I think that's when you run yourself into trouble trying to find a player that might not be a good fit for Northern, might not be a good fit for Marquette. "Some people think scholarships grow on trees, but guess what? They don't. Those are hard to come by. I would never give someone a scholarship with the hope they would be a player or the hope they could possibly do something. Either you see something in them where they can grow and become what you want them to be, or there is no sense in taking them." Sall originally laughed at the idea of predicting where the Wildcats program would be in five years, but later admitted that if his team isn't at least in contention for titles, he wouldn't be doing his job. Northern Michigan University athletic director Forrest Karr has no aspirations of setting a timeline on Monday either. All Karr wants to see from Sall's program is improvement on the court and in the classroom. "It's hard to set a timetable for these things," Karr said. "I hired a coach in Fairbanks, Mick Durham, that came in and the first year,the team was 5-23 and the next year they were 16-12 and he was the coach of the year. There has to be some luck to have that happen. "I have no doubt the program is going to be successful. We're not going to put a timetable on it. We just want to see it go in the right direction." Matt Wellens can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mattwellens. Save | Subscribe to The Mining Journal Marquette Weather Forecast, MI
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Thread: Former WEC announcer to lend Bruce Buffer a hand
Former WEC announcer to lend Bruce Buffer a hand
Former WEC announcer Joe Martinez will soon make his octagon debut.
Martinez recently revealed to Examiner.com that he has been hired for in-cage duties at next month's UFC on FX 6 event, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 15 in Australia but due to the time difference airs live in the U.S. on Friday night.
Promotion mainstay Bruce Buffer is set for his familiar announcing role that same weekend at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale, which takes place Dec. 15 in Las Vegas.
"It’s definitely a big deal," Martinez told Examiner.com. "I said it years ago, that it was and major goal of mine to announce a UFC event."
MMAjunkie.com confirmed Martinez's appointment with sources close to the event, but UFC execs have yet to make an official announcement. It's not yet known whether Martinez will be used at future events as well, but UFC President Dana White has long suggested the time is near when multiple UFC events will take place on the same night in locations around the globe.
Still, Buffer's role with the company is not expected to lessen.
"All my respect is to Bruce," Martinez said. "It's his gig, and I'm just more than happy to step in and fill a role for a night. The opportunity is there, and I am happy to be the one they have called on for it."
Martinez, who made his WEC debut in 2005, remains a fixture at numerous regional MMA events, as well as several high-profile boxing events as an employee of Golden Boy promotions.
UFC on FX 6, which also serves as the final of "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes," takes place Dec. 15 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia. The event's main card airs live in the U.S. on FX (on Dec. 14 in the U.S. due to the time difference) following prelims on FUEL TV.
Source: MMAjunkie.com
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e-Newsletter of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary | April 5, 2013
Discover the Moravian College Equestrian Team
With about 15 members, the Moravian College Equestrian Team (MCET) is an active club sport and is open to anyone interested in horses or horseback riding. Weekly meetings and fundraisers are mixed in with riding and competing.
Just like any other sport, the equestrian club includes a lot of dedication and preparation for competitions such as regionals, zones (states) and nationals. Photos by Stephanie Dengler '16
Team members participate in about 10 competitions per year and sometimes have the option to travel to nationals, which have been held in Los Angeles in the past. MCET is a registered member of Zone 3 Region 4 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Riders may compete individually and with the team throughout the season, hoping to qualify for the regional competition held in spring. Points are received based on the rider’s place or ranking in the class in which they compete.
A total of 36 points is needed to advance to the next level. The top three riders in each class at the regional competition go on to zones, and then the top two qualify for the national competition.
But the riders would be nothing without their steeds. The horses are just like players on the team, and work just as hard, or harder, than their riders. At shows, riders
randomly draw a horse which is provided at for them. Riders use only their own show clothes; everything else is provided. Riders must wear certain attire, like team uniforms, in order to show. Every team can host its own show if it has enough horses. Moravian’s show this semester was held in Flemington, N.J. at Briarwood Farm on March 2. Moravian also participated in the regional effort show in Milford N.J. on March 17, and participatde in the regional show at Briarwood in Flemington, on March 30. Moravian’s team horses are boarded on a farm in New Jersey about 45 minutes from campus, where there are more than 40 horses for team members to ride and show.
Becca Zabel ’16 is one of the team members and says, “I love showing and the team, it’s a great way to make friends!” Jennifer Martin ’15 agrees with her and adds, “I love riding. It is the best stress reliever.” The club also offers activities such as the upcoming Active Minds and the Mounted Police event on April 12 at 2:30 p.m. outside the HUB. This will include a demonstration by the mounted police and Active Minds members will be selling lemonade.
Team members also organize trail rides and plan other get-togethers. “I’ve been riding for 14 years and have been on the team my whole college career,” says team captain, Marissa Zondag ’13. "I have made some amazing friends and memories and grown as a rider. I think being a part of any team is important, but the equestrian team went beyond all my expectations.”
—Stephanie Dengler ’16 < Back to Index
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NFP»News»Hot News and Rumors
Jonathan Stewart may have torn MCL
Injured knee against Saints. Aaron Wilson
December 09, 2013, 02:15 PM EST
Just when it appeared the Panthers were getting some production out of running back Jonathan Stewart, he injured his knee and was unable to return in Sunday's loss to the Saints.
Early in the second half, Stewart reeled off a 16-yard run, followed by a 16-yard catch-and-run. But at the end of his receiving play, he took a hit to the knee and was forced to exit the game.
Now, it appears he may have done some damage.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Panthers fear that Stewart tore his MCL on the play. If so, that would end his season.
Stewart was banged up to start the season, so the Panthers will be comfortable with having just DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert at running back.
But having Stewart did add depth to the running back position — an area the Panthers have been spending a ton of money on.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
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NFP»Columns»Guest Stars
Youth is served
The NFL’s youngest team resides in St. Louis, where the Rams are showing signs of an impressive turnaround. Len Pasquarelli
September 17, 2013, 11:30 AM EST
In the St. Louis Rams’ 31-24 loss at the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoon, the team’s leading passer was quarterback Sam Bradford, only a fourth-year veteran. Tailback Daryl Richardson, the top rusher, had just one previous season of NFL seniority on his resume. The leading receivers in terms of catches and yards, Austin Pettis and Chris Givens, respectively, have combined for 21 starts. Rookie first-round wide receiver Tavon Austin, added a pair of touchdown catches.
On the defensive side, the two leading tacklers were rookie strongside linebacker Alec Ogletree and second-year free safety Rodney McLeod. One of the franchise’s two first-round selections five months ago, Ogletree had the most passes defensed. The Rams’ two sacks of Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan came from third- (Robert Quinn) and fourth-year (Eugene Sims) veterans. Kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Johnny Hekker each are in their second seasons.
The 22 position players who started for the Rams averaged only 3.45 seasons of previous experience in the NFL and 20 of those years belonged to center Scott Wells and weakside linebacker Will Witherspoon. A dozen of the starters had logged three seasons of experience or less, not counting the two games in 2013.
If, by now, you sense a trend here, well, you probably don’t yet qualify for Mensa membership. But you’ve certainly mastered the art of identifying the obvious.
Yeah, the Rams are young, the NFL’s youngest team, in fact, in terms of chronological age (24.98 years) and previous league experience (2.3 seasons), according to the league. In terms of a postseason berth, that probably doesn’t augur well in 2013 for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2004, has not posted a winning campaign since that year, averaged an anemic 4.5 wins since its last postseason appearance, and finished in last place in the NFC West in half of those past eight seasons. On the other hand, that bright light emanating from the dark end of the tunnel isn’t necessarily an oncoming locomotive anymore.
“I think we’re on the right track,” said left defensive end Chris Long, the sixth-year veteran who is St. Louis’ longest-tenured player in terms of continuous service to the club, following a defeat in which the Rams turned a 24-3 blowout into a game that was close at the end. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm from the younger players, (most of whom) weren’t around for all the losing, and it gets contagious.”
ICONWith four seasons under his belt, quarterback Sam Bradford is one of the more seasoned players on the St. Louis roster.
Added Witherspoon, who is now in his second tour of duty with the team and has experienced both sides, as part of its last non-losing campaign (2006), but also a three-season stretch (2007-2009) in which St. Louis totaled six wins: “Because we’re so young, we’re going to make some mistakes, and that’s not an excuse. But we’re going to keep getting better, too.”
Indeed, the ambitious roster makeover orchestrated by general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher in their two years with the club provides the Rams – who not all that long ago were regarded as “The Greatest Show on Turf,” but have recently become accustomed to having their noses rubbed in the dirt – with that most nebulous of commodities: Legitimate hope that things are on the upswing. That St. Louis rallied to defeat a pedestrian Arizona team in the season opener was seen as a nice, but not particularly impressive, victory. But in the loss to the Falcons, a game in which the Rams could have folded early against an Atlanta assemblage regarded as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, there was indisputable progress.
“I’ve been around long enough to know there are no moral victories,” said Bradford, who threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, and who is only 25 despite being in his fourth season. “But the fact we came back to make a game of it . . . is probably another step forward for us.”
OK, a baby-step, to be sure. But then again, the Rams are still relative toddlers in an NFL where you’ve got to learn to walk pretty quickly, and then advance to running even faster. Seattle and San Francisco haven’t quite lapped the field in the division, but they have a healthy lead over the Cardinals and the Rams. But the greening of the St. Louis roster over the last couple years, under Snead’s stewardship and the tutelage of Fisher and his staff, may be narrowing the gap a bit. The football tandem didn’t consciously plot to get so much younger so quickly, Snead acknowledged on Sunday evening, but that’s the natural course of things in reconfiguring a losing team, the typical byproduct of necessary change.
“When we came in,” Snead said, while exchanging greetings with friends from his five seasons as the Atlanta personnel director, “we didn’t say, like, ‘OK, we’re going to be the youngest team (in the league).’ But we knew we had to bring in more talent, and the best and fastest way to do that is the draft. But even in free agency, and in other ways of (acquiring) players, we did consciously look for younger guys who could grow with us. We’d like to continue adding, but also keep a lot of this group together for a while.”
The Rams made a crafty move in 2012, essentially dealing the rights to quarterback Robert Griffin III to Washington for a passel of draft choices. In general, though, Snead has simply drafted adroitly. Of the 17 prospects he selected, all but two are still with the club. All seven of this year’s choices made the roster. There have been, as Snead noted, some veteran acquisitions as well, but the Rams aren’t generally inclined to bring in guys in their football dotage, just to add stability. Nope, when the ship finally gets steadied, and St. Louis embarks on a playoff run, it’s apt to be the current young players at the helm.
“There’s good young talent and leadership here,” Long said, noting that three members of a defensive front four that helped St. Louis tie for the NFL lead in sacks in 2012 is made up of former first-round picks.
There are a dozen rookies on the current roster. Nearly two-thirds of the active players possess two or fewer seasons of experience in the league. Almost three-fourths of the 53-man roster is comprised of players with three or fewer seasons of NFL experience. Snead wasn’t certain these numbers were entirely accurate, but he recalled a telling statistic that he remembered seeing recently on television: That of the 32 offensive linemen and wide receivers with whom Bradford played during his first four seasons, 24 are no longer in the league.
“If those numbers are right, that’s pretty amazing,” Snead said. “It demonstrates just how much change we’ve had and how young we are.”
There’s an old adage, of course, that youth must be served. In the NFL, it must also be serviceable.
Seems the youthful, new-look Rams are heeding both those truisms. NFP's Introduction to Scouting Class is now registering for the summer session! Discounted pricing until April 14th! REGISTER NOW!
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Meet Our Student Of The Week
/ Article This week's Grand Valley Power Student of the Week runs track, is a basketball coach and a photographer. Everywhere Ryan Joy goes he brings his camera. The Central High School Senior specializes in landscape photography and says taking pictures outdoors is a great way to relax. Ryan is also on Central High's Track Team and Cross Country Team. He loves to run because it's a good way to stay in shape and it's just fun. When Ryan's not taking pictures or running he's usually coaching basketball. With so many interests in life no wonder Ryan's having trouble narrowing things down. But he says he will probably major in history so he can be a teacher and a coach. Ryan is also on the Executive Committee of Central Ties and a member of the National Honor Society.
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New coach for Spartans expected this week
Ericka Birdsongebirdsong@neighbornewspapers.com
May 30, 2013 10:22 AM | 1379 views | 0 | 23 | | Former Coach Tim Glanton stands on the field the school named in honor of him being the only head football coach in school history last fall.
South Cobb's Ed Koester is South Paulding’s second head football coach after being approved by the county Board of Education following a recommendation from administrators.The board meeting was held Tuesday morning with the personnel changes discussed at the end.After the naming Koester as the new coach, South Paulding Principal Keith Rowland hosted a meeting for invited staff, students, parents and community members to introduce the coach.Former head coach Tim Glanton recently joined the inaugural football coaching staff at Kennesaw State University.Glanton began at South Paulding in 2006 and was the only coach in the school’s history. He coached high school football for 23 years, and was a member of three different football staffs in Paulding County. He also served as offensive coordinator at Paulding County High School from 2001-02 and head coach at East Paulding from 2003-2005.During the season opener of his last season with the Spartans on Aug. 31, the school’s field was officially named the Timothy D. Glanton Sr. Field, in honor of Glanton for all his hard work and dedication to the team and the community.Prior to having the new coach approved by the board, South Paulding athletic director Chris McCallister said they had been interviewing a number of candidates and were anticipating approval this week.Tim Mitchell, vice president of the South Paulding Touchdown Club, prior to the approval said, “We hope that someone comes in with the same passion for our players and community as Glanton did.”Also being a community coach for the varsity Spartans, Mitchell said the group wants a coach that can win, though the program has a major focus on community and morals and that is what’s “most important.”“I’m sure we won’t get anyone with the same philosophy as Glanton, especially if they never knew him, but we want to keep the community involved,” said Mitchell.With the coach still undecided at the time, Mitchell mentioned the work Glanton did with the team since the school’s inaugural season.
Athlete of the Week: Aaron Jones, South Paulding
Spartans shine at county track meet
North Springs shows improvement on diamond
Chapel Hill looking for football coach
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Maria Sharapova withdraws from the U.S. Open
Before withdrawing, Maria Sharapova was the No. 3 seed in the U.S. Open. / Pat Lovell, USA TODAY Sports by USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAYby USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY Filed Under
Maria Sugarpova won't be playing in the U.S. Open. Neither will Maria Sharapova.
The 2006 champion withdrew from the season's final Grand Slam on Wednesday because of bursitis in her right shoulder.
"Maria has informed us that she will be unable to compete at the U.S. Open this year due to a right shoulder bursitis and has withdrawn from the tournament," U.S. Open tournament director David Brewer said in a statement. "We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to her return to New York next year."
Sharapova's agent, Max Eisenbud, told USA TODAY Sports that her shoulder has been bothering her since before the French Open in May.
Sharapova released a statement on her official site: "I just wanted to let you know that withdrawing from the US Open has been a really tough decision to make. I have done everything I could since Wimbledon to get myself ready, but it just wasn't enough time. I have done many tests, received several opinions and it all comes down to taking the proper amount of time to heal my shoulder injury properly. It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favorite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon. I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. I will miss being part of the US Open, but can't wait for next year!"
Tennis.com reported that Sharapova had a cortisone shot to treat the pain in her shoulder.
"Maria Sharapova is one of the great warriors of the tennis world," USTA executive director and chief operating officer Gordon Smith told the Associated Press. "If she withdrew, there's a serious issue."
Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland will move up to the No. 3 seed in women's singles, and Sara Errani of Italy will be No. 4. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia becomes the No. 32 seed.
The draw for the year's last Grand Slam tournament is Thursday at noon at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Play begins Monday.
Sharapova of Russia had been in the news Tuesday because of rumors that she had planned to change her name for the duration of the season's final major to Sugarpova, her line of gummy candies.
She attended a promotion Tuesday in Manhattan for Sugarpova.
Sharapova was sidelined by a hip injury after Wimbledon. Then she hired Jimmy Connors as her coach, an arrangement that lasted one match, a loss, last week at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio.
Sharapova last skipped the U.S. Open in 2008, when she was off the tour for about 10 months because of surgery on her right shoulder. She won her first major title since that operation in last year's French Open, completing a career Grand Slam.
Earlier Wednesday, former top-10 player Mardy Fish of the USA withdrew from the U.S. Open, citing personal reasons.
Copyright 2014 USATODAY.comRead the original story: Maria Sharapova withdraws from the U.S. Open
The 2006 champion withdrew Wednesday because of bursitis in her right shoulder. A link to this page will be included in your message.
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Jim Harbaugh Has A New Sweater And Other Revelations From Wednesday's Press Conference
I really do quite enjoy Jim Harbaugh's press conferences. Aside from the fact that I've been there multiple times in person to feel his look of general disdain, I appreciate the very same disdain that he directs to the media. To Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers are a team who care only about the San Francisco 49ers. They're grateful for the fans and things of that nature, but they aren't interested in being fake. I do think it's their duty to communicate with the fans through the media, but I also think Harbaugh is asked a ton of stupid questions and he responds properly.
The biggest things to note about today's conference are things Fooch already touched up on, namely the injuries to Delanie Walker and Kyle Williams. But if you happened to miss the wonderfully interesting bit about a new sweater worn by Harbaugh, then you're in luck, because I've got a transcript after the jump!
Also, it looks like the 49ers will not go outside the organization to help their wide receiver position. So stop talking about T.O. and I suppose I will ... stop talking about Dominique Zeigler. Out loud, anyway. Obviously, my heart still calls out to him. Did that sound creepy? Make the jump for some juicy transcript action, from Harbaugh and Alex Smith.
Head Coach Jim HarbaughPress Conference - December 28, 2011
Have you guys decided how you're going to fill that roster spot yet?
"Pretty much. We've narrowed it down. We'll let you know when we make a decision."
Does TE Delanie Walker's prognosis have anything to do with your decision?
"Well, I told you it did. 7-10 days we'll know if he'll be back for the postseason."
Does that mean 7-10 days you'll know...
"How he's progressing."
But does that mean 7-10 days you'll know who you're going to replace with the roster spot?
"In 7-10 days we'd know if he has a chance make it back for the postseason. Therefore, whether to keep him on the active 53 or put him on IR for that spot."
Is that 7-10 days from now?
"From Monday. We're off to a bad start here."
You have on a new outfit today .
"I do. This (a grey hooded sweatshirt) was given to me by one of the players. A known agent. Trusted friend. I'm wearing this today. Feels very good. Very comfortable. Means a lot to me."
Who gave it to you?
"I'll let him tell you that. I don't know if he'd appreciate me coming out and saying that. He's one of those guys that, obviously we're friends, but I don't know if he'd want the coach-player, that kind of thing. We've got each other's backs. Means a lot to me. Nice present."
The WR Braylon Edwards decision ... Could you just take us through that decision a little bit and how Braylon handled that?
"Professionally. Like we explained to Braylon, we're doing what we feel is in the best interest of the team, like all decisions."
The timing of it with other wide receivers being banged up seemed a little bit odd. Why make that decision now?
"Well, I don't feel the need to explain it or rationalize. Get the best roster out there that we can. The best for our football team. That's why the decision was made. That's what all decisions are made by."
He said that injuries were what were preventing him from getting in sync with the offense. Is that what you felt as well? It just didn't seem like he was on the right page with the offense throughout the season?
"Like I said, I don't feel a need to say why. No disrespect to Braylon. Appreciate his contributions. Everything for us is Rams, Rams, Rams."
Has WR Kyle Williams definitely been ruled out this week?
Will there be competition for that roster spot?
Is WR Ted Ginn, Jr. making good progress?
"Yes, he's making very good progress."
What's the danger in facing a 2-13 team that you've shutout before? Especially the position that this team is in?
"That they have a lot of good players, good coaches. I would imagine, playing very loose. Nothing to lose. That's a dangerous team because you never know what could happen. Any kind of deceit and trickery could unfold. Trick plays; let it all hang out kind of mentality. Go out in a blaze of glory, as [Special Teams Coordinator] Brad Seely would say. We know it's going to be a 60-minute game. That's what we have to prepare for."
Are you pleased with the Pro Bowl haul? I know Monday you said nine, 10, or 11. You guys were just short of your estimate, but still pretty impressive.
"Yeah, definitely really excited about yesterday. I think I was more excited than some of the players. I think those guys that were voted to the Pro Bowl accept that in a very humble way, understanding that it's a team effort. A rising tide lifts all ships. I know that's how those guys could feel about it. Now, it's Wednesday. Now it's the Rams."
Without us knowing what you're going to do with that roster spot, can you maybe share with us what WRs Joe Hastings and John Matthews have looked like on the practice squad and how they've performed?
"Worked very hard, like all the practice guys have. They've worked extremely hard. They continue to do that. They know what the situation is and we'll let the competition unfold."
Will you bring outsiders in for this competition or will it be all in-house?
"We probably won't. It will probably just be in-house."
Is it important when you put together a wide receiver corps that the parts are interchangeable? That the styles are similar?
"Is that important?"
Yeah, is it important? So you can plug guys in? Is that a factor at all?
"Style? That's your word. Style. Define that, what does that mean? Everybody exactly the same speed, the same size?"
Similar. So that the quarterback can, without regard to really who it is out there running the route, that the guy's going to be doing pretty much the same thing at the same time to get open?
"Yeah, I don't think that's real realistic. Everybody is a little bit different. You're not going to get the exact same players at really any position. There's timing that has to be practiced. It has to be run through."
With you saying it most likely staying in-house, no interest in adding Terrell Owens or looking in to that aspect?
"Again, we don't comment on specific players. We talk about 49ers."
We don't talk to General Manager Trent Baalke much. He's a lot behind the scenes. In the transformation of this season, what has he meant to this? You're sort of the face of the franchise right now. Can you give us a little insight?
"I don't agree with that ... the face of the franchise moniker. I reject that. We're a team. And as part of the team, the personnel department and staff, scouts, General Manager - Trent, everything works in that way as a team. Everybody's contribution is highly important. In terms of how I work, it's shoulder to shoulder with Trent and [CEO] Jed [York] and the rest of our organization."
Who first brought LB Aldon Smith to the attention of the scouting department? Do you remember? Was it Trent or was it an area scout?
"Well, when I get here, he was on the board. He was somebody that we were looking at. I can't remember how many, there might have been 500 or 600 (draftable players) at that time when I came on board. Better question for Trent and the scouts. He's done a nice job, hasn't he? Doesn't matter who gets the credit. The guy who deserves the credit is Aldon. He's doing a fantastic job."
You guys did have the haul of Pro Bowl guys, but he wasn't on that list of guys who made it or alternates. Was that surprising?
"Yes. There's others probably deserving to be on the list. But, like I said before, the guys who made it were voted to that particular all-star team, Pro Bowl, they humbly accept that. The guys who didn't are lucky. We'd rather have all that is said about us, said against us. We don't really want to make any all-star teams or any awards that are individual awards. I hope all the guys that did make it aren't making any plans to be there, to be quite honest with you. It's a wonderful honor and like I said, I was excited about it yesterday for the guys. Hopefully no one is making any plans to be there. The greatest award you can win in football, to me, is to be voted captain by your teammates. That's the greatest award."
On that note, when you have the different captains each week, who selects those for the game?
"Different captain each week. That's the special teams captain. [RB] Frank Gore and [LB] Patrick Willis are always out there. Those are the two guys that were voted by their teammates. Now since Patrick hasn't been out there playing, [DT] Justin [Smith] was the second place vote getter on defense so he's been out there the last couple weeks. We always add a special teams captain, whoever was the special teams player of the week the week before."
With T Joe Staley getting invited to the Pro Bowl, did you know that he had that much respect around the league from players and coaches? That he was Pro Bowl starter caliber?
"Asking me to put my thoughts in the minds of other people? He's played that caliber. Yes. That's probably the better question."
I kind of meant it in terms of - have people approached you and talked to you about him in that way?
"Other players and coaches around the league? No, there's not a lot of conversations with any coaches around the league, other than my brother. Other than good game and shake hands after the game, that's about the only time you talk to other coaches."
QB Alex SmithPress Conference - December 28, 2011
Alex, what were your thoughts on hearing about former 49ers WR Braylon Edwards' release yesterday?
"Obviously shocked at first, but not my decision. It's the nature of this game. When you're in the middle of the season it's hard to have a lot of time to reflect on something like that. Personnel decisions are just something that are a just a part of this, week in and week out, and I found that out my rookie year and every year since. So, we'll just have to keep going, obviously."
You are short on receivers right now, you have four wide receivers on the roster. Can you talk about how you've worked with the practice squad guys who may be elevated up and just how these guys practice with you?
"Yeah, I think one of the great things, there are a lot of things, but one of the great things this coaching staff has done, is this practice squad's been more included, just a part of the team, more than any year I've ever been here. Really them in taking reps, traveling with us, doing all the meetings, really a part of the team. So, I really think their development is so much better because of that. Their ability to be able to step up when someone goes down, if they do get called up, is so much better. I just think it's kind of a no brainer. It seems like now looking back, no brainer way of doing things. I think it's really helped us. So, I have had a lot of work with those guys. If one of them gets brought up, I feel good about it."
It seems like you've thrown a lot to WR Joe Hastings I guess throughout the season, even before games?
"Yeah, pregame, I throw a lot to Joe."
Is there already some kind of chemistry there?
"I feel good about Joe. Joe's a guy that just works extremely hard. Obviously had him here all through camp and then when he's got his chances throughout the season just to jump in in reps in practice, does it. For quite a few weeks now pregame, to keep the other guys' legs good, he and I go out early and throw quite a bit. So, feel good about Joe. I think that if that's the way the direction ends up going, feel good about him stepping up and that he'll be ready."
Looking back on practicing with him, playing with him, did Braylon ever seem fully healthy?
"You look back at camp and really the first couple weeks of the season, really felt like Braylon was just really getting going, running well, feeling good, making plays. And then unfortunate that, that Cowboy game, goes down with his knee and he tried rehabbing, tried coming back. You could tell he was pushing through it and it was bothering him. And that's tough when you're a receiver and your wheels aren't working right. That's tough, but he showed a lot of toughness trying to step up for the team and get back healthy for us when we needed him, especially when [WR] Josh [Morgan] went down, but one of those things I think that lingered a little bit."
Has it been tough, particularly tough for you, dealing with all the flux in the wide receiver corps this year?
"Once again, I think that's kind of the nature of the NFL. It's just part of the deal. It's such a physical game, injuries are going to be a part of this and every team deals with it really. Next guy's got to step up and we all have to step up to be able to make up for that. So, part of it. I feel good about all the receivers though. All those guys, we've got such great character in that room. All those guys work hard. They're all extremely talented and I think they're all chomping at the bit to get their opportunity, which is what you want."
You have an opportunity to get a bye if you win this game. Are you kind of happy that this game is meaningful so that you're not going to have two straight weeks off perhaps?
"Obviously, any time you'd love to lock up a bye, you'd take it I think. But, I think if you'd have asked any of us to have this opportunity, week 17 got a win to get the bye, we would take it. Looking back, if you'd asked that earlier in the year we all would have taken it. So, great opportunity in front of us, we've just got to go seize it. Have to go take it."
One of the dangers about facing a 2-13 team and one you just shut out, I can see there could be desperation on their side.
"Yeah, no question, nothing to lose. Nothing to lose from both coaches and players alike. So, potentially every trick in the book will get thrown at you, offense and defense, special teams. So, like I said, nothing to lose. I'm sure they're going to throw everything at us."
Are you expecting it to get kind of chippy as well at all? I know like in the Arizona rivalry, RB Frank Gore has always said it's more dangerous for him in the bottom of the pile during those games, do you expect that out there?
"It's a division game. So, obviously all the division games you have a little more talking, things like that. You play each other twice a year, so there's a little more invested into it. Really felt like, just from my remembering, the first game with the Rams it wasn't that much. Obviously, I felt like it was a pretty clean game. Both sides just playing football, but you never know."
How much pride do you take in your left tackle and blindside protector going to the Pro Bowl?
"Yeah, really happy for [T] Joe [Staley], really happy. The guy works as hard as anybody and he's played at a high level now for a few years. I really feel like he hasn't got the recognition he's deserved, for whatever reason, as some of the other left tackles that I think get a lot of notoriety in this league. I really feel like he's all that player and then some. And this year he's really done it just week in and week out and has just played at a really high level. He's really taken a leadership role with that whole offensive line. Kind of really stepped up to the challenge and has really been a leader for us."
Alex, former 49ers WR Jerry Rice said yesterday that Alex Smith has the "it factor." Does that mean a lot to you? What does the "it factor" mean in your mind?
"That's a good question. Obviously any time you get a compliment like that from a player of his caliber, you take it. I don't know, for me the quarterback's job is obviously to distribute the football, but there's obviously so many of those plays in the game. You don't know when they're coming, but as a quarterback you've got to make the play. And sometimes they're not the real noticeable thing, but you've got to do the little things to help give your team a chance to win. You talk about that winning edge, whatever it is with the quarterback, those are the things I look to. Guys do it a lot of different ways. Some guys do it with their legs. Some guys obviously just do it distributing the football and making accurate throws. So, that's what I think about that. Over the course of the game, over those 60, 70, 80 plays, however many there are, you have no idea which handful it's going to come down to that are really going to change the game. But the fact that you do it each play, you're doing those little things and really kind of giving you that edge."
After you hit that 41-yard pass to WR Michael Crabtree, you guys ran three straight times, you didn't take a shot in the end zone, it worked out. What were your feelings about it before it worked out, as it happened?
"It's tough. We hit the big play there, knew we were in field goal range. Obviously special teams has been great for us all year. [K] David's [Akers] been lights out. Knew we were only down a point, so that's the route we went. We choose to burn the clock and take the field goal, a little more conservative, but it worked out. It's been winning for us and we've been doing that a little bit here and there in spots and it worked out for us this year. So, that's the way we went."
John Matthews
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Jackets vs. Rebels could be game of the season
Noah Feit
UPDATED: Friday, September 27, 2013 12:55 a.m. Tweet
Staff file photo by Mike Adams Trevonte Watkins (5) of Strom Thurmond looks for running room against the Silver Bluff Bulldogs.
This is a big game.
Undefeated Strom Thurmond, one of the best teams year after year, going against undefeated North Augusta – another perennial power. Over the past decade, these teams have established themselves as the premier programs in the Aiken area and among the elite in all of South Carolina. Tonight, they’re going head to head for the first time in four years as the Rebels (4-0) travel to North Augusta to take on the Yellow Jackets (5-0).
Preview capsules for Week Five of the high school football season
Staff picks for Week Five of the high school football season
Dynamic duo of McCloud and Barnes carries ball for Jackets
Predators outlast Trojans
“This is a little bigger of a game outside the program, but I’m not going to lie, this is a big game,” North Augusta head coach Dan Pippin said of the game that was circled on many calendars once the schedule was made official. “This is a big deal for the communities.”
The magnitude of the game isn’t lost on his counterpart, Strom Thurmond head coach Lee Sawyer.
“I’m glad we’re playing again. Hopefully we’ll give people their money’s worth,” Sawyer said of the game that has greater significance because it isn’t a regular on the schedule. “The fact that we haven’t played every year adds to it.”
The last time the teams played was in 2009, when the Yellow Jackets scored a 27-16 victory. That game doesn’t have much bearing on tonight’s contest, as the players who participated have moved on. The coaches and much of their staff remains, a major reason why the teams – great back then – have continued to flourish.
Their continued presence and the schemes they operate figure to be critical to tonight’s outcome. North Augusta’s zone read out of the spread formation is one of the top offenses in the state. It has produced 231 points in five games, an average of more than 46 points a contest.
Leading the way is quarterback Trib Reece. The junior leads all area players with 1,048 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. He spreads the ball around to a variety of receivers – including Keyon West (28 catches, 362 yards, 2 TDs), Antuan Andrews (15 catches, 253 yards, 4 TDs), Jaleel Bryant (8 catches, 192 yards, 3 TDs) and Dre Dunbar (9 catches, 179 yards, 4 TDs).
The Jackets are capable of striking quick through the air and have built early leads in all of their games that has saddled opponents with significant deficits. But North Augusta is far from a one-dimensional team. If anything, it’s more dangerous running the ball with both Willie McCloud and Dashawn Barnes sharing carries that can exploit the soft underbelly of opposing defenses. They are adept at hammering the ball inside, through holes opened by one of the best offensive lines in the state, or bouncing outside and stretching the field. They’re both among the top seven rushers in the area and have combined for 142 carries that has gained 985 yards and resulted in 16 touchdowns.
While the offense is lighting up the scoreboard, the defense has gone under the radar. The Jackets have only allowed 36 points on the season and feature three of the area’s top tacklers in Jordan Blocker, Ronald Williams and Kyle Saverance. They’re so prolific, unstoppable and hard to score against, they remind Sawyer of another recent great team.
“They’re like us last year,” he said of his squad that outscored opponents 588-177 on its way to a 12-2 season that culminated in the Class AAA state semifinals. “They score a ridiculous amount of points and give up very few. They’ve got a ton of weapons and are well-coached. They’re going to make you pay for not doing something right. … I tip my hat to North Augusta. They’re as good as I’ve seen.”
The silver lining to facing a behemoth like he’s coached is that Sawyer and his staff have an idea how to try neutralize it. The best course of action is to keep the ball out of North Augusta’s possession and dictate the tempo of the game. In the past, many teams have tried that in vain against Strom Thurmond, Sawyer’s Rebels are equipped with the personnel that might be capable of pulling off the feat.
They’re one of the best running teams in the area and have three primary ball carriers to tote the rock. While Chad Gilchrist (33 carries, 258 yards, 4 TDs) and Delonte Bates (47 carries, 305 yards, 4 TDs) have emerged in their first year of significant action, the centerpiece of the Rebels’ offense is quarterback Jauveer Hammond.
The 2012 All-Aiken Standard first-team signal caller has picked up where he left off last season. In spite of missing some big time players from last season’s roster and playing hurt, Hammond remains one of the most talented and dynamic individuals in the area. He has been both lead back for Strom Thurmond – running the ball 54 times for 433 yards and four touchdowns – and one of the area’s top passers, completing 31 of 49 attempts for 372 yards and two more scores.
“Their quarterback is pretty good,” Pippin joked, sighting versatility as one of Hammond’s greatest skills. “He’ll run you over one play and make a spin move the next. You have to play assignment football against him, or you’re toast.”
In his estimation, Hammond’s leadership has been the his greatest strength in a year where the Rebels are undefeated in spite of losing a dozen starters from a season ago.
“Being that one guy back is so vital. He’s a leader, and the younger guys look up to him,” Sawyer said of the player who never panics. “He’s not going to allow that to happen. He’s cool, and he’s a heck of a playmaker.”
While Hammond has been the driving force keeping the Rebels’ offense clicking, their defense isn’t at the astoundingly high level it inhabited a year ago. It has struggled at times this year and has been vulnerable to the run. The Rebels’ ability to get off the field on defense and keep the Jackets from racking up points against their 3-5 front will be the difference in the game. They can bend, but they can’t afford to break to keep pace.
Pippin said he’s a fan of the Strom Thurmond program and hopes they have great success. Just not tonight.
“I want Strom Thurmond to win every game it plays but this week. They have good kids, great coaches and I have a lot of respect for them,” said Pippin, who’s aware of the attention being paid to this showdown but is more preoccupied with the region slate set to start in North Augusta’s next game. “We can’t win this and be, ‘That’s it.’ In the state, we’ve got bigger fish to fry. It’s big, and the atmosphere is going to be great, but we’ve got to keep things in perspective. It’s a long season.”
Sawyer isn’t overemphasizing this game either. He’s looking forward to see how his team deals with the challenges it presents.
“We’ll just battle for 48 minutes regardless of the situation. I’m anxious to see how we handle it,” he said. “There’s two undefeated teams playing in front of thousands and thousands of people.”
Who: Strom Thurmond (4-0) at North Augusta (5-0)
Where: Jackets Stadium, North Augusta
Last time they met: North Augusta defeated Strom Thurmond 27-16 in 2009
TV: ASTV, Atlantic Broadband Channel 95, and My12 starting at 7 p.m.
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End of an era for McHenry's Badgleys
Senior is fourth brother to come through the program
Published: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 12:20 a.m.�CDT • Updated: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 8:14 a.m.�CDTBy STEVE NITZ – snitz @shawmedia.comDeKALB – Northern Illinois baseball coach Ed Mathey has a pretty good memory from one of the first times he saw Zach Badgley pitch.During the summer of 2007, before Badgley's senior season at McHenry High School, Mathey watched the tall, lean right-hander throw in the Stevenson Showcase in Lincolnshire. The other coaches in attendance already were joking that Badgley, who already had three brothers play at Northern Illinois, would end up a Huskie."He was throwing the ball pretty well then," said Mathey, who remembers Badgley's fastball being around 87 or 88 mph that summer. "I just remember a lot of the other coaches standing in the back, looking down, reading their radar guns, looking up and they go, 'Oh, I guess he's going to Northern.' "Badgley took an unofficial visit later that summer, and committed to NIU not long after. This season, Badgley is wrapping up his career, which will be the final season NIU will have one of the four Badgley brothers on its roster. Dan Badgley pitched at NIU from 1997 to 2001, while Mark was a Huskie hurler from 2003-07 and Nick was part of the program from 2008-09.Since Dan Badgley made his first trip to the mound in 1997, the Badgley brothers have made a total of 215 appearances and 32 starts, throwing 504 1/3 innings.Dan and Mark spent time playing professionally after collegiate careers, with Dan spending a year in the Detroit Tigers organization and Mark pitching with the Florida Marlins in 2007.Dan, now the baseball coach at Crystal Lake Central, was even married at Ralph McKinzie Field, the Huskies' home park, in front of about 100 people."When I got married, my wife (Christina), she basically surprised me with that, I had no idea," said Dan, who lives in Kirkland.Ball State, Illinois and West Virginia were other schools that recruited Zach out of McHenry. In the end, the familiarity with NIU's program won out.There also was a chance for Zach to play on the same team with Nick for one season. The only time the two had played organized baseball together was summer ball with the Crystal Lake Cardinals. Zach does remember the extremely intense whiffle ball games with the Badgley clan, but this was a chance for the two brothers to be members of the same program."Since Nick was still on the team, it made it pretty easy," Zach Badgley said. "I was just comfortable with it."Five years later (he took a redshirt year in 2010 after sitting out with a torn labrum), Zach is pitching his final year for the Huskies. He's made six appearances and three starts so far in 2013.In a way, it's the end of an era."It's good, and I guess it's sad in a way," Zach said. "Growing up, I saw all of my brothers play every year. ... It's something cool to look back on in the future, to say four of us played for the same university."
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The Halloween edition: Prepare to be scared
IT'S A RITUAL: Each year, Old Dominion's players dress up for the team meeting the Sunday before Halloween. For the second time in three years, offensive tackle Robbie Duncan took home top prize. He dressed up as Bane, the evil villain featured in Batman's latest movie," The Dark Knight Rises." Duncan went all out, shaving his head and practicing the voice to get it right. "I'm a senior, I was going to go all-out to win," Duncan laughed. Little-known comic book nerd fact coming: Duncan is slightly older than the Bane character, which made its comic book debut in January of 1993. Duncan was born in 1990. Duncan also won top prize two years ago when he dressed up as offensive coordinator Brian Scott. Last year, Ryan Jensen took home first place when he dressed up as assistant coach Bill Dee, who has since become the defensive coordinator. So what's up? None of you guys have the guts to dress as head coach Bobby Wilder? I REALIZE MANY of my blog readers want to know what quarterback Taylor Heinicke went as. If you must know, he was "a 1970's redneck basketball player." Think Will Ferrell, as in Ferrell's Jackie Moon character from "Semi-Pro" meets Ricky Bobby from "Talladega Nights." "I was rockin' the high knee socks, the Converse All-Stars, the crazy hair and the headband," Heinicke said. The outfit that got the laughs, however, was provided by wide receiver Nick Mayers. He dressed up like me. Me ... as in sideline radio reporter and blogger Rich Radford. Yours truly. No, seriously. He did. I asked Nick the very simple question: Really, Nick? As Nick said, he got major points "for originality." HEINICKE HAS BEEN to the Georgia Dome a lot. Growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta, he figures he's been to "The Dome" about seven or eight times. So when he visits Atlanta with the Monarchs to take on Georgia State Saturday at 3:30 p.m., he will be in familiar surroundings. "I was on the sidelines last year watching (Thomas) DeMarco play," Heinicke said. "This time, I get to play." Heinicke knew early on this year that the request from friends for tickets would be overwhelming. He figures about 200 or so good friends will make it to the game. "I've got a lot of friends who go to the University of Georgia and they're telling me they're coming to the game," Heinicke said. "I tried to line up tickets for about a dozen family members, but that's as much as I could get done." Georgia, by the way, is hosting Mississippi that day, same time. So if Heinicke's got some Bulldogs who are passing on their own school's game to see ODU's No. 14 play, that's devotion to a friend.
ODU'S MEN'S SOCCER TEAM will take a 10-3-2 record into its final home game of the season when it hosts Northeastern Friday night at 7 o'clock in a game that was rescheduled following Hurricane Sandy. Then the Monarchs will play the waiting game. Since ODU isn't invited to the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, the Monarchs will be left hoping that their record and ranking -- they were No. 8 in the country before dropping a 1-0 decision at Hofstra over the weekend -- is enough to get them a nice spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The loss to Hofstra was a painful one. ODU outshot the Pride 25-10 and had nine corners to Hofstra's two. That's the crazy part about soccer. The crazy part about this season is the Monarchs will have to wait 10 excruciating days after the Northeastern game to learn their NCAA Tournament fate. So it would definitely be nice to end the regular season with a win.
MORE TOURNAMENT NEWS abounds with the FIELD HOCKEY TEAM, which is hosting this year's NCAA Tournament Final Four at the Powhatan Complex. It sure would be nice if the host team happened to make it into the Final Four, which will be played on the ODU campus Nov. 16 and 18. The Monarchs are 14-5 and awaiting a tournament bid. Their five losses this season have come to top-ranked North Carolina twice, Virginia, Penn State and Maryland. All four programs are ranked in the top 10. Maryland and North Carolina have accounted for the last seven NCAA titles, with Maryland winning five times during that span. Could there be a better sendoff for departing ODU head coach Beth Anders, who has coached the Monarchs to nine national titles in her storied career? If she were to lead the Monarchs to the title, she would finish with a record 550 victories as coach. And if the Monarchs make the tournament field, which they are almost guaranteed, it will be Anders' 30th trip to the tournament. Another nice, round number. And if ODU won it all, it would mark the school's 10th national championship. Ronnie Cameron IS WRITING a blog for the Huffington Post and you can read it at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronnie-cameron/. Cameron has spent this fall as a member of the Cleveland Browns' practice squad. A year ago, he was the Colonial Athletic Association's defensive player of the year. This fall, he's spent a lot of time watching from the sidelines, and not just watching football. Cameron is what's known as a social media maven. He has over 1,000 followers on Twitter. And when the presidential debates began last month, Cameron was Tweeting at warp speed, giving his opinion on social matters and offering commentary. The Huffington Post noticed and called Cameron, offering a chance to speak his mind with his own blog. For those unaware, Cameron has a master's degree from ODU and he's only 23. In just a week, Cameron has posted three blogs, chastising the presidential candidates for turning the debates into a mock trial, pleading for more focus to be placed on our infrastructure, and offering his opinions on a need for stronger educational resources. Writes Cameron: "The United States currently ranks first in GDP with $15 trillion in market value of all goods and services, twice that of China. Our education rankings aren't matching up with the amount we're spending which means we have a nation of spenders and not a nation of creators. We currently rank 17th in reading, 23rd in science and 30th in math globally." Looks like I'll have to add this blog to my RSS feed list.
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Brantley ready to be the real Brantley
The baseball business is nothing new to Indians young prospect outfielder Michael Brantley. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Brantley, son of former major leaguer Mickey Brantley, grew up around the game and understands its quirky nuances.
Lofton to be inducted into Indians Hall of Fame
Former Tribe outfielder Kenny Lofton enjoyed taking a quick ride down memory lane in sharing his thoughts on various moments and subjects regarding his career in Cleveland after being named a 2010 inductee into the Indians Hall of Fame. For your enjoyment below is an edited version of the teleconference. * Why do you think fans never forgot you and always welcomed you back? "I just treated the fans with respect and they did the same for me - it was a mutual thing. "I signed autographs every single day and it's something I enjoyed doing. The fans loved it, I loved it and I just had a good time doing it." * What was your biggest moment in Cleveland?: "When we beat Seattle to go the World Series." * Do you often wonder how for as many good Indians teams you were on how none of them won a World Series? "Man, yeah, I know. It was just one of those things. I think we had the team and the players to go out there and do it. It was just fate, it just wasn't our time." * Now that you've now made the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, do you ever think of possibility of making it to Cooperstown? "It's hard for me to say. I just went out there and did what I had to do on and off the field. Hopefully, that can show people. Now it's up to whoever (to decide)." * You put up good numbers despite playing in the so called "Steroid Era". Do you think maybe down the road people will pay closer attention to what you were able to do? "I hope they do because again, I was a guy who never did it, never tried to do it or wanted to do it. But I played against guys who obviously were doing it, so my competition level had to be at a certain level to compete with those guys who were what you call, cheating. So, I was not a cheater, so hopefully they took a look at that and take it into account." * How many times did you want to scream knowing some of these guys were doing it, but you were trying to do it the right way? "Constantly. But I did it the right way and always felt like the good guys always lose. I always felt that way in that situation, so I just sat back and kept doing what I was doing. You always say, things are going to come out in the light sooner or later - and that's what happened." * What are you up to these days? "I have a production company out in L.A. trying to do some TV and film. We're looking for some investors to do some of the movies I have going on right now." * Do you remember the amazing catch you made that robbed Baltimore's B.J. Surhoff of a home run at Jacobs Field Aug. 4, 1996? "Like it was yesterday. It was one of my most famous and memorable catches. The funniest part was looking at the guys in the bullpen when I reached over the b ullpen and caught the ball. I looked down at those guys and they were going crazy. I'll never forget it." * Talk about Game Six of the ALCS in 1995 in Seattle when you scored from second base (on a passed ball) and how big that play turned out to be. "I didn't know how big it was going to turn out. It was just me being aggressive on the basepaths when I saw the opportunity to use my speed. I looked at Randy Johnson and he had his back turned and everyone was kind of lolly gagging towards the ball so I just kept going." *Who were some of the guys you looked up to coming up through the big leagues? "One guy that really stood out was Kirby Puckett. Just the excitement he had and the way he always had a good time playing, although he played the game hard." To read more or comment...
Indians sign veteran catcher Redmond, add him to 40-man By jcfortun
Here is the press release:CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed CA MIKE REDMOND to free agent Major League contract.
Seven invited to major league camp
The Cleveland Indians invited seven minor league players Major league Camp, including its first round draft picks in each of the last three years.Here is the press release:
Tribe signs another veteran in Grudzielanek By sstorm
The Indians signed veteran second baseman Mark Grudzielanek to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.Grudzielanek, 39, has a career major-league batting average of .290 with five teams during 14 seasons, through 2008. He did not play in the big leagues last year, apparently because he was unable to find a suitable deal.Grudzielanek signed with the Minnesota Twins during the season but never appeared in a game for them. He played 11 games in the Twins' minor-league system, playing for the Double-A Rock Cats when they visited the Akron Aeros late in the season.
Tribe deals Jackson
The Indians made a minor-league deal Saturday, trading left-hander Zach Jackson to the Blue Jays for a player to be named. ¶ Jackson spent most of last year at Triple-A, posting a 4-8 record and 6.05 earned-run average in 30 appearances at Columbus, including 14 starts. He also pitched three times for the Tribe, once as a starter, posting no record and a 9.35 ERA in 82/3 innings. ¶ Cleveland acquired Jackson in July of 2008 from Milwaukee along with Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley in the deal that sent C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers. Jackson has been assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas by Toronto. ¶
Tribe adds Kearns as free agent
In addition to Duncan, the Tribe also signed a more notable free agent in former Reds and Nationals slugger Austin Kearns. See Indians press release below: The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed OF AUSTIN KEARNS to a free agent minor league contract. The contract includes a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp. To read more or comment...
Duncan signed as free agent
The Indians added a free agent to the mix Tuesday in former longtime New York Yankee minor leaguer Shelly Duncan. Here's the press release: The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed INF/OF SHELLEY DUNCAN to a free agent minor league contract. The contract includes a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp. To read more or comment...
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Meet Red Ryder at this year’s rodeo By Lisa Scott
Photo courtesy Lisa ScottWearing his trademark white-brimmed hat and red shirt, Red Ryder sits atop his trusty steed Thunder at the Red Ryder Rodeo arena. Red Ryder will be present at each Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo on July 4, 5, and 6. Have your photograph taken with this character from the Wild West who was made famous in the comic strip drawn by Pagosa Springs resident Fred Harman Jr. and appeared in newspapers from 1938-1964.
Sixty-four years.
The Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo began in Pagosa Springs in 1949 and has been a town and rodeo tradition ever since.
The rodeo was named for the famous comic strip character, Red Ryder, who was drawn by Pagosa Springs resident Fred Harman Jr. The comic strip was wildly popular and ran from 1938-1964 in 750 newspapers.
Red was a cowboy hero and a crime fighter of the west, accompanied by his sidekick Little Beaver, a young Navajo Indian boy. Both had trusty steeds named Thunder and Papoose, respectively.
A local talent and resident cowboy has agreed to portray Red Ryder during each rodeo this year. Come experience the rodeo and have your photograph taken with the real-life character.
This local young man exhibits all the characteristics of the traditional cowboy — he loves the land, the ranch and the plains, herds cattle, has guns and rides horses. He’s modest and kind and his determination always shows him giving it all he’s got. Come meet our local Red Ryder.
The rodeos are Thursday, July 4, at 2 p.m., Friday, July 5, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, July 6, at 2 p.m. — presented at the Western Heritage Event Center arena and grounds.
Tickets are available at Goodman’s Department Store, Wyndham Activities Center, and at the gate prior to the event. The cost is $10 per adult and $6 for children 12 and under. A limited number of box seats are available and can be purchased by calling 264-5000. A variety of concessions are available throughout the events.
Following the rodeos on Wednesday and Saturday, a concert will be held at 6 p.m. McKenzies Mill is characterized as a country rock and roll band with an electrifying stage presence. The concert will be complete prior to dark so attendees can make their way to their favorite fireworks location. Tickets can be purchased at the same locations. More rodeo or concert information is available by calling 264-2730.
Each daily performance begins with an impressive grand entry, with flags waving from westerners on horseback. Rodeo events are interspersed with a variety of other acts like the Mutton Bustin’ contest, a performance by an equestrian drill team, Daisy BB gun raffle, rodeo clown Timber Tuckness and the presentation of the honorary Red Ryder award.
Sponsors for this rodeo series include Pagosa Land Company, The Pagosa Springs SUN, Robert D. Lindner Ranches, Rio Grande Savings and Loan, Scott Strategic Investments, DEVO Capital Management, Merel and Thomas-Friends of the Rodeo, Custom Homes by Vernon Leslie, Ace Appraisal, Budweiser, Colorado Rock and Dirt Excavation, Diamond M King Ranch, First Southwest Bank, Grand Junction Pipe and Supply, The Junction Restaurant, Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Ponderosa Lumber Company, Silver Dollar Liquors and Pagosa Bar, and KWUF Radio.
A traditional American rodeo is a must-see event. While cowboys and cowgirls from various states compete for prizes and prize money in this sanctioned rodeo series, the event is also filled with a variety of exhibition events to make an entertaining event.
Follow these topics: Rodeo, Sports
This story was posted on June 20, 2013. Whaddya Think?
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Pebble Beach Golf Links: Once a Year This Golfer's Paradise Turns into a Magnificent Car Museum
On the third Sunday of August, one of the finest finishing holes in golf plays host to hundreds of historic and elegant automobiles competing in the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2011) � Pebble Beach Golf Links, No. 1 on Golf Digest�s 2011 list of �America�s Greatest Public Courses,� is open for play 364 days of the year. That other day? Dreams are realized, but there�s not a golf ball in sight. It happens on the third Sunday in August when more than 200 Duesenbergs, Ferraris, Bentleys and Mercedes tee it up for one of the most competitive events in the car world�the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance. The 18th hole at Pebble Beach is often referred to as the greatest finishing hole in golf and has hosted many of the game�s most awe-inspiring legends and unforgettable moments. But soft spikes and long irons are replaced with vintage treads and hood ornaments when historic collector cars grace the famed fairway along central California�s Carmel Bay.The transition is a fairly simple one.�Die-hard golfers are sometimes a little skeptical, but after the Concours concludes, foursomes are coming up the 18th fairway less than 14 hours later,� says Pebble Beach Golf Links superintendent Chris Dalhamer, who is in charge of making the course a golf haven 364 days a year and the Super Bowl of classic cars for the other 24 hours. �There are few, if any, signs that 5,000-pound cars were lining almost 500 yards of fairway. Some years are a little chaotic, but with proper planning and preparation, working with every car owner, every vendor and Concours staff and volunteers, we minimize the challenges for Monday golfers.�Bunkers are roped off, water lines are marked and weather reports are watched religiously to determine what needs to be done during Concours weekend.�In the weeks leading to the Concours, we try to make the fairway as healthy as possible. We then dry down the course to harden the turf so the tires won�t sink or damage the grass and create an uneven surface,� says Dalhamer. �Once you break the turf layer with a car tire, then there�s a problem, so we keep a sturdy grass mat to support vehicles.� Dalhamer actually supervises three large portions of Pebble Beach Resorts property during the Concours: the entire 18th fairway (which doubles as the primary competition field), the practice putting green (home to 20 concept cars, which are strictly monitored so they don�t turn their wheels, possibly damaging the grass) and the Peter Hay par-three course (which hosts manufacturer displays). It requires vigilant, around-the-clock groundwork, scheduling, management and setup before the cars make their grand entrance.Opened in 1919, Pebble Beach Golf Links has been called the perfect union of golf and nature. It has hosted five U.S. Open Championships, celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the globe, and in recent decades, has also become known as the site for the world�s foremost classic car show.�The Concours is a one-of-a-kind event that Pebble Beach is proud to host,� says Dalhamer. �It�s extremely important to the community, for all of Monterey, car lovers everywhere and even golfers, who expect to play a pristine course every day�except, of course, the third Sunday in August.�First conducted in 1950, Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance� (www.pebblebeachconcours.net) has grown to be the world�s premier celebration of the automobile. Only the most beautiful and rare cars are invited to appear on the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links�, and connoisseurs of art and style flock to see these masterpieces. Charitable donations raised by Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance� now total over $14 million. Related events include Pebble Beach Tour d�Elegance� presented by Rolex, Pebble Beach RetroAuto�, and Pebble Beach� Auctions presented by Gooding & Company. Pebble Beach�, Pebble Beach Golf Links�, Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance�, Pebble Beach Tour d�Elegance�, and Pebble Beach RetroAuto� are trademarks, service marks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. All rights reserved.Pebble Beach Company, headquartered in Pebble Beach, Calif., owns and operates the world-famous Pebble Beach Resorts�, including The Lodge at Pebble Beach�, The Inn at Spanish Bay� and Casa Palmero�. The company also operates four renowned golf courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links�, Spyglass Hill� Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay� and Del Monte� Golf Course. Its other famed properties include the scenic 17-Mile Drive� and The Spa at Pebble Beach�, and it annually hosts premier events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance�, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational, the Pebble Beach Food & Wine event and the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Site of the 2019 U.S. Open Championship, Pebble Beach Golf Links� has hosted five U.S. Opens, four U.S. Amateurs, one PGA Championship, and numerous other tournaments. For reservations or more information please call (800) 654-9300 or visit www.pebblebeach.com.# # #
Jeff Green(310) 224-4961jgreen@pcgcampbell.com
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Ryan Howard listed as day-to-day with ankle injury
Updated -- 6 p.m.
Ryan Howard injured his ankle during the first inning of today's game. (Drew Angerer / AP Photo) David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer Posted: Sunday, August 1, 2010, 1:41 PM
The Phillies say Ryan Howard is day-to-day with a badly sprained ankle. They are hoping to avoid a disabled list situation.
The Phillies are off Monday before opening a three-game road trip in New York against the Mets.
“He's going to be OK,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “I don't expect him to miss very much time. If anything, he might miss a day or two. We're off tomorrow. He might miss Tuesday or Wednesday, but he could very well be in the lineup on Tuesday. It's going to be a short period.”
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Howard said after the game he was still in a considerable amount of pain.
“Right now it's just swollen,” Howard said. “It's tight, it's sore. Other than that, it's not too, too bad.”
Updated - 3:01 p.m.
Word from the clubhouse is that X-Rays on Howard's sprained left ankle were negative, meaning there was no fracture, which is obviously good news. That being said, Jimmy Rollins missed three weeks with a sprained ankle in 2008.
Howard also had X-Rays on his right elbow, where John Lannan hit him with a pitch to put him on base. Those were also negative.
No word on whether Howard is day-to-day or whether a trip to the DL will be in order.
Howard's only DL stint in his career came in May of 2007, when he missed 15 days with a left quad strain.
The last thing the Phillies needed was to see Ryan Howard limping slowly off the field while supported by manager Charlie Manuel and athletic trainer Mark Andersen. But that was the sight in the first inning of today's game against the Washington Nationals after the star first baseman landed awkwardly on second base and fell to the dirt in obvious pain.
The official diagnosis was a left ankle sprain, although there is no indication as to the severity. Howard had the ankle X-Rayed, but there is no immediate word on the results.
Ben Francisco had dropped a single into right field, scoring Jayson Werth from second base. Howard rounded second, but scrambled back to narrowly beat the throw.
Cody Ransom replaced Howard at second base after he was helped off the field. Ransom later scored on a single by Domonic Brown.
Howard, back in the line-up after a day off, reached base after being hit by Nationals lefty John Lannan. Howard is 0-for-13 in his last three games and 5-for-31 since pushing his batting average to .303 on July 22. From June 17 to July 22 he hit .347/.400/.719 with 11 home runs.
Raul Ibanez was scratched from today's lineup with a sore left wrist, although the Phillies say the injury is not serious and that precautionary X-Rays revealed no structural damage.
Ibanez landed awkwardly on the wrist while attempting to make a diving catch last night. He was originally in the line-up for this afternoon's game against the Nationals, but was scratched and replaced by rookie Domonic Brown.
Ibanez is hitting .352/.456/.557 with a .992 OPS, 4 home runs, 15 RBI and 18 runs in his last 24 games.
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Next Story: Howard to visit team doc in Philly on Tuesday
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Daily News Staff Writer
Ryan Lawrence
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Car And GPS, Cars, Races, A1 TV Row Sees Brazil Dropped From A1GP Calendar
By Jonathan Goddard 1 February 2007
The A1GP Brazil, due to take place on March 18, has been withdrawn from the World Cup of Motorsport’s 2006/07 season calendar.
Following a delay in securing a local terrestrial TV partner to provide nationwide coverage of the series, A1GP representative and former F1 driver Emerson Fittipaldi said: “A1GP has decided to withdraw the Brazilian race from this season’s calendar as it has taken longer than expected to secure free-to-air television coverage of the series within the market".
Every A1GP race is watched by an average of 8 million viewers in more than 150 countries through a network of international TV partners. Strong TV coverage has proved vital for building support for the nescient A1GP series and ultimately drawing crowds to an event.
It is not yet clear why A1 is struggling to find a broadcast partner in Brazil, a country obsessed with motorsport and the home of the late, great Ayrton Senna.
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Larry Sholl Inducted Into Hall Of Fame
Longtime area sports official Larry Sholl was recently inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of fame at a ceremony on April 28, in Bloomington. The banquet is one of the premier events of its kind, and is an opportunity to honor those coaches, players, officials, friends, and news media who make Illinois basketball what it is today. Sholl, a Galesburg native, retired his referee whistle and stripes for the final time last February at Galesburg High School, where he was presented with the game ball, and a brief ceremony announcing his retirement. Larry's career began in 1967, but he did not keep an actual count of games worked in that time. Official records are not available, however 44 years of officiating sporting events has allowed Larry to watch a multitude of games from a unique perspective. If you know Larry Sholl, you know that he is a people person, and could probably tell you a story about most of the games he has worked. The friendships he has made along the way is the most rewarding part of his officiating career. What has Sholl been doing with his spare time in the last 40+ years? His resume includes officiating 38 regionals, spanning 1972 thru 2010, seven sectionals, seven super sectionals and two state final high school basketball tourneys in addition to literally hundreds, if not thousands of regular season games. He officiated five National Catholic High School tournaments in Dubuque, Iowa. He has worked over 25 different holiday basketball tournaments, and has worked numerous Conference, Invitational, MLK's and Shoot-Outs. He recalls he once tried to figure how many games he has worked, but it made him tired so he stopped keeping track.
In 1998, Larry was an inaugural inductee into the highly respected Peoria Official's Association Hall of Fame. He was also an inaugural inductee into the Galesburg Official's Association Hall of Fame in 2011, and was presented the "Lead Official's Award" which is an award presented to a veteran official who has gained the respect of his peers, and been a positive influence in helping younger officials in developing their officiating careers.
Like many working referees/officials, Sholl was active in other sports including football, baseball, and softball. He has officiated more than 70 IHSA football playoff games since 1972. Larry has also umpired high school, college and American Legion baseball. He even had a brief stint refereeing high school volleyball with his wife, Joanna. (very brief) Sholl was an umpire in the Central Illinois Collegiate League, and partnered with Gordy Kincaid, former Galesburg High School basketball coach. Larry is retired and spends his days golfing, or watching his youngest kids' sporting events. Jacob is a freshman at Illini West, and Annie is a 6th grader at La Harpe Jr. High. He also has two older daughters living in Peoria. Larry is married to Joanna Sholl who teaches at La Harpe Jr. High.
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A lesson about honor from a high school football coach
Mon Sep 30, 2013, 12:58 PM CDT
WASHINGTON, D.C. — I trust you're as impressed as I am by the news that Matt Labrum, football coach at Union High School in Roosevelt, Utah, has suspended his entire team — all 80 players — for what he calls a "lack of character." Unlike the win-first coaches celebrated in the sports pages, Labrum was referring to what was going on off the field, where a minority of the players had been skipping or failing classes and were perhaps involved in cyberbullying as well.
Understand what's happening here: Everyone is being punished for the actions of a few. The unspoken suggestion is that members of a team should watch out for one another. If Player A breaks the rules, Player B shares responsibility. This communal understanding of good character provides an admirably clear illustration of the elusive concept known as "honor" — a swiftly dying virtue in an era in which ends always seem to outshine means.
Honor implies more than honesty. It often requires, in the words of the Oxford English Dictionary, fealty to "a moral bounden duty: sometimes implying that there is no legal obligation." One who seeks to be thought of as honorable may see life as guided by a code that governs the means through which we may pursue our ends. Writes the philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah: "An honor code says how people of certain identities can gain the right to respect, how they can lose it, and how having and losing honor changes the way they should be treated."
Although the idea of living by a code of honor goes back at least to classical Greece, the concept is nowadays reflected for most young people in the honor codes that their schools require them to sign. An honor code typically constitutes a student's agreement not to violate the norms of academic integrity. In its traditional form, an honor code requires not only that students agree not to cheat, but also that they agree to report violations of the code by others. If Student A is aware that Student B is cheating and does nothing about it, A and B are both in violation. Academic dishonesty, in this understanding, reflects badly on the entire institution.
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